The Jews’ Right to Statehood: A Defense
Azure, Vol. 15, pp. 70-108, 2003
39 Pages Posted: 15 Jul 2011 Last revised: 31 Mar 2016
Date Written: 2003
Abstract
Is it possible to justify the existence of a Jewish state? This question, raised with increased frequency in recent years, is not just a theoretical one. Israel will endure as a Jewish state only if it can be defended, in both the physical and the moral sense. Of course, states may survive in the short term through sheer habit or the application of brute force, even when their legitimacy has been severely undermined. In the long run, however, only a state whose existence is justified by its citizens can hope to endure. The ability to provide a clear rationale for a Jewish state is, therefore, of vital importance to Israel’s long-term survival.
Keywords: Jewish state, Israel, self determination
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