In his book Gilad is critical of Jewish identity politics. He is also highly critical of Jewish political domination within the Left and the Palestinian solidarity movement in particular. Collected by Silvia Cattori, Gilad’s answers expose the vacuous arguments employed by those who are determined to silence him by way of deception, intimidation and slander.

Silvia Cattori: Your book has just been published in French [1]. Without any promotion it is selling like hotcakes; despite the fact that members of U.J.F.P. (French Jewish Union for Peace) and I.J.A.N. (International Jewish Antizionist Network) launched a campaign to demonize you within the left and the Palestinian solidarity movement, six months before the French publication [2]. Did all theses attacks come as a surprise for you?

Gilad Atzmon: As you probably know I have been subject to these vile Jewish anti-Zionist campaigns for years. It is clear beyond doubt that I have managed to rock the boat. As it happens, I oppose any form of Jewish identity politics for being exclusive and racially oriented. Sadly enough, Like Zionists, many of the Jewish anti Zionist political cells are openly engaged in similar tribal, racially driven and exclusivist politics.

But there is also an ideological issue here. I openly contend that their entire terminology is misleading. Zionism is not colonialism, Israel is not Apartheid and the Israelis are not Zionists. Zionism is not colonialism for the Jewish ‘Settler State’ lacks a Jewish ‘Mother State’. Israel is not Apartheid for the Jewish State doesn’t want to exploit the Palestinians but to get rid of them. Israel is actually driven by Lebensraum (Living Space) philosophy. In other words, the Jewish State adopted the Nazi racist, expansionist ideology. But the Jews in our movement do not like the comparison with Nazi Germany. And also Israel is not exactly Zionism and the Israelis are not necessarily Zionists. Israel is the product of the Zionist ideology and the Israeli is basically a post revolutionary product. Hence, the Zionist/anti Zionist debate has very little significance in Israel or on Israeli politics.

In short, our entire terminology is misleading if not deceitful. I guess that I expose it all, and it is only natural that some people would prefer to kill the messenger.