Zionism and the Politics of Authenticity

Israel’s establishment as a Jewish state in 1948 confirmed the success of Zionism even as it raised questions about whether the movement dedicated to forging Jewish sovereignty was still relevant. But even as a cornerstone of Israel’s culture, Zionism triggers controversy not only about its meaning but also about its moral status, particularly with regard to the issues either never acknowledged or never fully addressed. The article examines how Zionism works in the contemporary Israeli political scene and how and why it has become a contested rather than a unifying element in the country’s public discourse.