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Hebrew Fascism in Palestine, 1922–1942
This book focuses on a little-studied yet virulent and devoted fascist faction that was active within Zionist circles during the 1920s and 1930s. Since the early 1930s, the term 'fascist' was regularly used by Labour Zionists in order to defame their right-wing opponents, the 'Revisionists'. The latter group, for its part, tended to reject such accusations. Up to this point, however, little comprehensive research has been carried out for examining the possible existence of a genuine Hebrew fascism in Palestine according to a global comparative model of generic fascism. This book is an attempt to do so, examining the first wave of fascism in Palestine, during the inter-war period.
The current discussion in Israel about rising fascist movements and organisations gained momentum during the past decade. Telling the story of a yet relatively neglected part of the roots of the Israeli right wing may not only shed light on the past, but also provide us with a historical perspective when measuring contemporary political movements and events.
The current discussion in Israel about rising fascist movements and organisations gained momentum during the past decade. Telling the story of a yet relatively neglected part of the roots of the Israeli right wing may not only shed light on the past, but also provide us with a historical perspective when measuring contemporary political movements and events.
210 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2018
28 people want to read
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September 13, 2021
The title may seem provocative, but it's actually referring to a very specific historical event. During the 1920s and 1930s, some right-wing factions within the Zionist movement looked to the Fascist governments of Europe as a model for their own national rebirth. It seems ridiculous to us in hindsight, but at the time it made sense. Fascism hadn't yet produced the genocidal horrorshow it ended up becoming in Europe, and many Western and Middle Eastern elites really did think Fascist Italy was a model of the future.
The writing style is a bit academic and disorganized, but the content is very informative. Tamir gets deep into the debates within the Zionist movement, and how they fit into an international zeitgeist. Again, his thesis is provocative — that there really was a Jewish Fascist movement — but he's very careful not to stretch it too far in any direction. Tamir is clear that even within the Zionist right, many like Jabotinsky saw Fascism for what it was, and that Hebrew Fascism was a short-lived project that only made sense in its time.
The writing style is a bit academic and disorganized, but the content is very informative. Tamir gets deep into the debates within the Zionist movement, and how they fit into an international zeitgeist. Again, his thesis is provocative — that there really was a Jewish Fascist movement — but he's very careful not to stretch it too far in any direction. Tamir is clear that even within the Zionist right, many like Jabotinsky saw Fascism for what it was, and that Hebrew Fascism was a short-lived project that only made sense in its time.
Displaying 1 of 1 review