My Zionism calls for Palestinian statehood. Yours should too.

A protester in Tel Aviv holds a sign accusing Netanyahu's government of using the hostages as human shields to protect themselves.

If you need any additional proof that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his radical messianic coalition have no interest in protecting the state of Israel, look no further than his response to the joint statement published by France, Canada, and the UK on May 19th. 

The joint statement—in which these nations explicitly support Israel’s right to defend itself from terrorism following the horrors of October 7—concluded with the signatories’ commitment “to recognizing a Palestinian state as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution.” 

In an unsurprising move, Netanyahu ignored the statement’s direct call to end Hamas’ rule in Gaza, claiming that “these three leaders effectively said they want Hamas to remain in power…they want Israel to stand down and accept that Hamas’ army of mass murderers will survive, rebuild, and repeat the October 7th massacre again and again and again.” 

This comes from one of the individuals directly responsible for allowing the terror group to “survive and rebuild” over the past five years. Between the summer of 2018 and the fall of 2023, Netanyahu facilitated the transfer of nearly $30 million into Gaza each month, knowing Hamas was using this money to expand its weapons arsenal and tunnel network. 

Several of the PM’s partners have echoed his sentiment, with far-right minister Betzalel Smotrich citing the familiar cliche that Palestinian statehood would set the dangerous precedent of “rewarding” terrorism. However, this perspective fails to consider the consensus within the international community that Hamas cannot lead a future Palestinian state. 

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process has affirmed that “there is simply no credible alternative” to the Palestinian Authority for governance of a Palestinian state. Policy think tanks from across the political spectrum concur that Hamas must be eliminated as both a governing entity and a security threat. If recognizing a Palestinian state requires Hamas to be forcibly removed from power, how does it also “reward” the group for the unthinkable acts of terror it has committed? 

Once again, Netanyahu and the extremist members of his governing coalition demonstrate their willingness to lie to the Israeli people in order to strengthen their grip on power and advance their own interests over those they are meant to serve. They assert that Palestinian statehood poses a graver threat to Israelis’ safety than sending tens of thousands of reservists into a deeply unpopular and ineffective war that has failed to eliminate Hamas or bring the majority of the hostages home. 

Contrary to what many of Israel’s government officials have stated, paving the path toward Palestinian statehood is in the best interest of those of us who want Israel to thrive. Decades of research support a connection between strong state institutions and mitigating political violence, promoting stability, facilitating disarmament, and implementing lasting peace agreements, all of which would positively affect Israeli national security. 

Moreover, when we, as Zionists, position ourselves against Palestinian liberation, we inadvertently embolden the anti-Israel and antisemitic extremists who believe that it must be us or them. And as we know all too well, when this happens, the Jewish people pay the price with their lives.

As an American-Israeli and proud progressive Zionist, I believe in a safe, secure, and prosperous Jewish state within our ancestral homeland. My faith in the Jewish people’s right to self-determination runs so deep that I uprooted my entire life to move to Israel and work toward that reality. 

However, I am not naive enough to believe Netanyahu’s lies that relentless war, death, and destruction will bring safety, security, or prosperity. Every “pro-Israel” organization and individual should be fighting to end this war and work toward Palestinian statehood, because it is the only way to achieve the peaceful, democratic coexistence essential to achieving those objectives. 

My Zionism calls for Palestinian statehood because it’s in Israel’s best interest. Yours should too.