The late, great Randolph Bourne (1886-1918) wrote an essay in 1916, where he said he had high hopes that Jewish nationalism, i.e. Zionism, was not going to end up as every other nationalism, which is to say reactionary, racist, and militant. As more and more American Jews, at least, are recognizing, Zionism is fitting into the pattern Bourne thought Zionism was supposed to have avoided. In this context, here is Peter Beinart, in his co-founded magazine, Jewish Currents, deciding he can no longer support political Zionism in the form of Israel. Beinart's trajectory from pro-Iraq War II war booster, as a young editor at the then-Zionist dominated The New Republic, to where he has ended up today is nothing short of extraordinary in modern American journalism. Most people who change their political views tend to move right and pro-military-industrial complex. Beinart has moved left on the issues of the military-industrial complex, and its subset, Zionism, and, in that process, has given up much monetary advantage as no US synagogue or temple is likely to invite him to speak, and if a brave little temple or synagogue were to invite him, the little temple or synagogue would not likely have any money to pay for much beyond a plane ticket.
Also in this growing trend and context, here is a very good interview (though the professor, Benjamin Balthaser, assumes too much previous reader knowledge), which explains how American Jewry went from being largely anti-Zionist to nearly lockstep pro-Zionist, especially since the end of World War II. The fact that this topic, which has long interested me, is becoming more interesting to others reflects how increasing numbers of American Jews have become estranged from Israel.
