The Logic of Elimination in Zionist Settler Colonialism
.jpeg)
The term 'replacement' is derived from
the verb 'to replace' (to supersede). In this context, Replacement Settler
Colonialism refers to a form of colonialism where an incoming population
(typically white) seeks to eliminate the indigenous inhabitants—either through
expulsion or extermination—to clear the land of them and settle in their place.
Replacement Colonialism Throughout
History
In Latin America, the objective of
settler colonialism was the exploitation of both the land and its people
through the establishment of large plantations. The indigenous populations were
utilized to cultivate these lands and generate surplus value; consequently,
they were not expelled.
In the United States, however, the Puritan
settlers sought only to acquire the land to establish a new society; thus, the
expulsion or extermination of the indigenous population—and the replacement of
the old element with a new one—became inevitable. Similarly, South Africa,
until recently, exemplified this replacement model, as white settlers seized
its finest lands and expelled the indigenous inhabitants.
Over time, however, structural changes
occurred within the South African settler state, and the pursuit of surplus
value and the exploitation of the indigenous population became primary
political objectives. Consequently, South African settler colonialism shifted
toward concentrating Black populations in independent townships and work zones
known as 'Bantustans.' These were situated outside the boundaries of white
areas and cities but remained in close proximity to facilitate the daily
migration of Black laborers into white zones for work.
The Specificity of Zionist Settler
Colonialism in Palestine
The case of 'Israel' does not differ
significantly from that of South Africa. The objective of Zionism is the
establishment of a functional combatant state designed to absorb the Jewish
human surplus and safeguard Western interests. To maintain its combat
efficiency, this state must remain isolated from the (Arab) masses against whom
it fights. Consequently, the expulsion of Arabs from the Zionist state's sphere
was essential to ensure it remains exclusively Jewish. Thus, the Jewishness of
the state is inextricably linked to its combatant function, and its function is
inherently tied to its replacement nature (Eliminatory Logic).
Jabotinsky was acutely aware of this dynamic
when he asserted that the Zionist state, surrounded by Arabs on all sides,
would perpetually seek reliance on a 'strong non-Arab, non-Islamic empire.' He
regarded this isolationism as a 'divine foundation for establishing a permanent
alliance between England and Jewish Palestine (and Jewish only).' Members of
functional groups often perceive their isolation as a sign of divine chosenness
and a mark of their distinction from the rest of the world. Thus, Jabotinsky’s
insistence on the state’s 'Jewish' character was, in essence, an insistence on
isolation—for isolation is the bedrock of functional efficiency. In his view,
an Arab Palestine would inevitably orbit the Arab sphere and, as Nordau argued,
even threaten Western interests, given that the Arabs are an element whose
loyalty is inherently suspect.
In contrast, a (functional) Jewish Palestine,
with its Western civilizational orientation, would serve as a reliable ally,
and its population would constitute a permanently pro-Western element.
According to Jabotinsky, Nordau, and Weizmann, this population—by virtue of its
inherent isolation—does not belong to the region, ensuring its steadfast
alignment with Western interests.
The motivations for Judaization and the
expulsion of the Arab population are rooted in the structural necessity of
maintaining a homogenous settler-state. Within the Zionist framework,
'Judaization' (Tahweed) is not merely a symbolic or religious act; it is a
geopolitical imperative designed to ensure that the land is entirely cleared of
its indigenous inhabitants to make way for settler substitution. The expulsion
of Arabs is thus driven by the Logic of Elimination, where the presence of the
native is viewed as a 'demographic threat' that compromises the state’s
functional efficiency and its role as a Western outpost. By removing the
indigenous element, the state secures its internal cohesion and ensures it
remains detached from its regional Arab-Islamic surroundings.
The Drivers of Judaization and the Logic
of Expulsion
Zionists have framed the motives for the
expulsion of Arabs through various ideological lenses. Zionist doctrine asserts
that the aim is to settle Jews in an exclusively Jewish state—and consequently
expel the Arabs—for the following reasons:
1. To establish the state as a cultural center for world
Jewry.
2. To fulfill the eternal dream of returning to their
ancestral homeland.
3. To 'normalize' the Jewish personality, enabling Jews
to become a 'nation like all other nations' (hence the various labor concepts
regarding the 'conquest of work,' guarding, farming, and production).
4. To establish a state through which Jews exercise
sovereignty and participate in historical decision-making.
Every Zionist may choose the rhetoric that
suits them. However, regardless of the motivations, the crucial point is that
the envisioned state must be exclusively Jewish, devoid of any non-Jewish
elements. Thus, the presence of the state necessitates the absence of Arabs
(and conversely, the presence of Arabs leads to the absence of the state). From
this premise, both non-Jewish colonialists and Jewish Zionists proposed the
slogan 'A land without a people for a people without a land.' Yet, as Hannah
Arendt remarked, such a land exists only on the surface of the moon.
Consequently, Zionist colonialism was compelled to seize a piece of land and
forcibly empty it of its inhabitants. Therefore, the expulsion of Palestinians
from their lands is an organic part of the Zionist settler vision. This remains
the fundamental characteristic of Zionist colonialism in Palestine: it is a
replacement settler colonialism. Its eliminatory nature is the source of its
specificity—if not its uniqueness—and it is, in reality, the very source of its
Zionism and its alleged Jewishness.
The clearance of Palestine of all or most of
its inhabitants is a fundamental constant of Zionist thought. This is both
logical and understandable; for if the land were seized while its inhabitants
remained, it would have been impossible to establish a Jewish state. Instead, a
state representing its inhabitants—regardless of their religious or ethnic
affiliation—would have emerged, deriving its primary identity from the
demographic majority. Such a state would not constitute the fulfillment of the
Zionist dream, which aspires to the establishment of a 'State-Ghetto.'
Hence, the disappearance of the Arabs became a
necessity. Zionist racism is not an accidental matter, nor is it a question of
moral decay or the tyranny of an individual or group. Rather, it is a
structural characteristic; for the Zionist dream to be realized, the indigenous
population must vanish—otherwise, the dream remains unfulfilled.
Consequently, all Zionists—regardless
of their religious or political affiliations, or their personal moral
values—contribute to and nourish this racial structure. Even a Jewish settler
arriving in Palestine carrying the torch of liberty, fraternity, and equality,
waving the reddest of revolutionary banners, will—willy-nilly—participate in
the uprooting of Palestinians and the distortion of their social, economic, and
cultural fabric. He strengthens, by his very presence, a settler society built
on usurpation. This poses a profound moral crisis for Israelis who reject
Zionism and those born on the occupied land. Israel Zangwill encapsulated this
orientation, stating: 'If we wish to give a country to a people without a
land, it is foolish to allow a people to be in this homeland.'
Ben-Gurion: Emulating the Algerian
Pattern of Settler Colonialism
Ben-Gurion was acutely aware of the
distinction between settler colonialism and replacement colonialism. Within
this framework, he suggested to De Gaulle that France adopt the replacement
model of settler colonialism as a solution to the Algerian crisis: France would
clear the Algerian coastal region of its Arab inhabitants, making it
exclusively for European settlement. Subsequently, an independent state would
be declared, granting its (settler) inhabitants the right to
self-determination. De Gaulle’s response was marked by sharp historical
insight, as he remarked: 'Do you want me to create another Israel?'
Kautsky’s Early Insights into the
Character and Outcomes of Zionist Settlement
Karl
Kautsky briefly alluded to this defining and fundamental characteristic of
Zionist settler colonialism in his classic work, 'Are the Jews a Race?' He
predicted that Jewish settlers would suffer significantly during the Arab
struggle for independence, noting: 'because Jewish colonization of Palestine
indicates that they intend to remain there, and that they intend not only to
refrain from exploiting the indigenous population, but to expel them for good.
There are specific elements inherent
to Zionist replacement settler colonialism that guarantee the persistence of
friction and tension between the colonial entity, the indigenous population,
and the people of the region as a whole. Most other replacement experiences
'resolved' their demographic dilemma—namely the presence of native
populations—through several pathways: displacement, extermination,
intermarriage with indigenous elements, or a combination thereof. Yet, the
Zionist settler project diverges from most historical replacement models in the
following respects:
1.
Late Historical Commencement: It began in the late 19th century, a
relatively late period compared to other major settler-colonial experiences.
2.
Geographical and Civilizational Proximity: It did not occur in regions
remote from the "Old World" (such as the Americas, Australia, and New
Zealand). Instead, it unfolded in the heart of the Arab Levant—a region
characterized by high population density, profound historical continuity,
deep-rooted civilizational traditions, and a demographic and cultural extension
that reaches far beyond the borders of Palestine.
You may also like:
Jewish Past and Present Notion of Peace
Culture and Scientific Production in Palestine
The Jewish snake spews its venom
_______________________________
Source: "The Encyclopedia of Jews,
Judaism, and Zionism"
