While I occasionally write about political issues in this blog, I don’t do so very often. I don’t feel like it’s my responsibility here to reply to every crisis, especially when there are those who can do so with much more knowledge and authority than me. I’ll write when I feel like I have a perspective that isn’t being addressed by others, or when it simply feels like a moral responsibility to speak out in this forum.

I suppose the astounding announcement on Tuesday of Donald Trump’s vision for Gaza falls into the second category. Sane Zionists—the overwhelming majority of American Jews who represent the widest swath of the political spectrum, left, center, and right—need to call out Trump’s proposal to forcibly displace two million Gazans for what it is: offensive, unworkable, and dangerous.

A plan to remove two million people from their homes and resettle them in another country is obviously abominable. The Jewish historical experience speaks directly to the moral revulsion of being forcibly removed from our homes. The fact that once-glorious and vigorous  Jewish civilizations flourished in Europe, Asia, and a dozen Arab countries that are now judenrein speaks to this. But what part of “What is hateful to you, do not do to other people” is so hard to understand?

There’s also that fact that the Trump scheme is unworkable. Others will address this more directly than I can, but certain aspects seem obvious. Two million Gazans will not submit to being forcibly repatriated. And the Arab nations of the Middle East have no capacity nor intention of absorbing hundreds of thousands of refugees, many of whom are surely Hamas radicals. Jordan’s population is already predominantly Palestinian; it surely is not going to destabilize itself by bringing them in. Egypt, too, can hardly be expected to bring in potential radicals to bolster the Muslim Brotherhood that already gives it enough problems. Lebanon and Syria are failed states that have no capacity to absorb thousands of refugees. And so on. It’s hard to imagine any of these countries giving the Trump administration a “win” on this anyhow.

But what I don’t hear people talking about is how utterly reckless and dangerous the Trump plan is—dangerous for people whom Zionists are supposed to care about. For instance, just as the hostages are finally starting to be released from their terrorist captors, Trump and Netanyahu drop this bomb about depopulating Gaza. I pray that there is not a violent counterreaction to Trump’s irresponsible declarations—with the hostages as the victims.

Moreover, there is the issue of surging antisemitism—locally and around the world. I’m thinking of the Jews of central and western Europe. Typically I would not blame antisemitism on Jewish behavior; antisemitism is the derangement and the problem of antisemites, not Jews. (Same goes for every other form of hate: It is always abominable to say that the victims “asked for it.”)

But that doesn’t mean that Trump and Netanyahu aren’t brazenly pouring gasoline where there are already open flames. While I’m concerned for Jewish communities in America, especially on our disgraced college campuses, I’m downright fearful for the well-being of the Jews of France, the U.K., Australia, and across Europe, where it is already open season and Jewish blood is cheap. Violent responses, G-d forbid, against Jews across the globe are not hard to imagine.

One of the true horrors of Trump’s rise and Netanyahu’s relentless grip on power is the way that each of them have brought into the fold extremists who were once beyond the pale. For decades there have been voices that urged the “transfer” of Palestinians out of Israel—but those voices were always the radical far-right that were considered unacceptable in civilized discourse. In the 70s and 80s, those voices were represented by the despicable Meir Kahane and his followers; but Kahane’s party was outlawed in 1988 by a special law prohibiting racist political parties. In the 90s, Kahane’s ideology of “transfer” was adapted by the Moledet party—but they, too, were recognized as the lunatic fringe, even if they garnered a few ultra-right Knesset seats. But Netanyahu legitimized and elevated Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, both adherents of violent strains of Kahanism, and brought them and their parties into his bloc. Even if “transfer” wasn’t Netanyahu’s plan all along (and I think Trump took Netanyahu totally by surprise with his scheme), he has empowered and normalized those voices that were once considered too extreme for decent society.

As a Zionist, I believe passionately in the legitimate Israeli narrative to be a free people in our historic homeland. And also as a Zionist, I believe it is our absolute imperative to work toward a just solution to the horrible status quo, under which Israelis live under the fear of terror and Palestinians are subject to constant humiliation—and no small amount of terror from far-right thugs.

Look, I know that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a disaster, and I share the desire for a game-changer about how to live in an Israel free from terror. Especially post-October 7, I appreciate that the old thinking has been more than non-productive; it’s been catastrophic. There is a genuine need for new thinking and big ideas. This is where the Abraham Accords emerged from, which was the last time there were any glimmers of optimism in the Middle East. But “new thinking and big ideas” must come with a sense of moral obligation and decency.

So what should we American Zionists do? A few obvious responses are demanded of us:

·      SUPPORT Zionist organizations that offer a different vision of the future:  the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, ARZA, Zioness Movement, Hiddush, and so on.

·      VOTE in the upcoming World Zionist Congress election: It is crucial that American Zionist Movement is represented by Zionists who are committed to democracy, pluralism, and human rights.

·      SPEAK OUT AS SUPPORTERS OF ISRAEL against this plan—for the sake of Zion and Judaism.

As Zionists, we have a moral responsibility to say: This is not the path for a sustainable future. It is a road to moral oblivion.