Matzpen: A History of the Israeli Left

The book explores the history of the Israeli Socialist Organization Matzpen (compass), which splintered off from the Communist Party of Israel in 1962 and advocated for Israel's de-Zionisation and a socialist revolution in the Middle East. However, its radical perspective was at odds with the history and memory of the Holocaust.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 472 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2022
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

This book delves into the rich history of the Israeli Socialist Organization Matzpen (compass), which emerged as a splinter group from the Communist Party of Israel in 1962. Following the Six Day War of June 1967, Matzpen caused a seismic upheaval in Israeli society, advocating for a withdrawal from the recently occupied territories and positioning itself as an outsider to the national consensus. Even before the war, the organization emphasized the colonial nature of the conflict between Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs, recognizing that it could not be resolved within the framework of the nation-state. Instead, Matzpen proposed the de-Zionization of Israel and a socialist revolution in the Middle East, aimed at restoring the rights of Palestinian Arabs while ensuring the survival of Israeli Jews as a new Hebrew nation. However, in the aftermath of Auschwitz, when the Jewish world rallied overwhelmingly behind the Jewish state, Matzpen's radical perspective stood in stark contrast to the historical memory and collective consciousness of the Holocaust. Against this backdrop, this study contextualizes Matzpen's political stance within its historical context, shedding new light on the political culture of Israel.

Weight: 718g
Dimension: 157 x 233 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474451178