‘Why Should Israel Belong to a Belgian Jew More Than to a Druze From the Carmel?’

Professor Avner Ben-Zaken. Credit: Hadas Parush

In a new book, historian Avner Ben-Zakan, head of the Institute for Israeli Thought, argues that Zionism completed its mission when the state of Israel was founded. But that state, he warns, has failed to instill in its citizens a sense of national identity, thereby jeopardizing its future

01:06 PM • May 21 2026 IDT

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With elections just months down the road, Israelis find themselves divided as never before – deep societal rifts sharpened by a government bent on fomenting discord.

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