The Racist Face of the ‘Socialist’ Kibbutz
In my youth the Kibbutzim, the collective Zionist colonies,
were held up as an example of the ‘socialist’ face of Zionism. Of course we weren’t told that they barred
Arabs or that they exploited cheap Arab and Oriental Jewish labour in their factories
or that collectively colonising the land was more efficient that doing it on a
private enterprise basis.
were held up as an example of the ‘socialist’ face of Zionism. Of course we weren’t told that they barred
Arabs or that they exploited cheap Arab and Oriental Jewish labour in their factories
or that collectively colonising the land was more efficient that doing it on a
private enterprise basis.
They Kibbutzim still exist but they don’t pretend to be socialist
anymore. They are an example of collective capitalism. As the article below from The
Times of Israel shows, they even object to allowing Arabs to eat in their
canteens!
anymore. They are an example of collective capitalism. As the article below from The
Times of Israel shows, they even object to allowing Arabs to eat in their
canteens!
Tony Greenstein
Arab laborers barred from kibbutz cafeteria
Arab laborers working in Kibbutz Hatzerim near Beersheba
are barred from eating in the kibbutz cafeteria, Yedioth Ahronoth reports.
are barred from eating in the kibbutz cafeteria, Yedioth Ahronoth reports.
 |
| The traditional image of Kibbutz workers, hoe in hand. They didn’t believe in exploiting Arab labour. They instead expelled it altogether. It was called ‘Jewish Labour’ |
According to the report, several kibbutz members asked
the cafeteria’s management to tell employers of the laborers not to allow them
to eat there, and the managers agreed. After a furor was raised, the management
decided to allow the laborers to eat in the cafeteria if accompanied by a Jew.
 |
| Dancing the hora at Kibbutz Ein Hod in 1936. Ein Hod was well known as a militarist kibbutz of the Zionist right. |
A kibbutz member, Renen Yazerski, posted on Facebook:
“Last week the kibbutz management decided that Arab laborers are good enough to
enter the kibbutz and renovate and build our homes, but not, God forbid, eat in
the same space with us in the cafeteria. Why are they not allowed to eat there?
Because some mothers complained to the managers that the laborers look ‘scary’
[…] a decision that is miserable, ugly, anti-democratic and racist…”
“Last week the kibbutz management decided that Arab laborers are good enough to
enter the kibbutz and renovate and build our homes, but not, God forbid, eat in
the same space with us in the cafeteria. Why are they not allowed to eat there?
Because some mothers complained to the managers that the laborers look ‘scary’
[…] a decision that is miserable, ugly, anti-democratic and racist…”
 |
| Women kibbutzniks being trained to right in the 1948 War that expelled the Palestinians |
The kibbutz management said in its defense that “Kibbutz
Hatzerim is private property, where no foreign persons are allowed without
accompaniment.”
Hatzerim is private property, where no foreign persons are allowed without
accompaniment.”
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