The Jewish National Fund – a study

29 April 2010 – The Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights is pleased to announce the publication of the Winter-Spring 2010 issue of al-Majdal (issue #43), titled The Jewish National Fund: A Para-State Institution in the Service of Colonialism and Apartheid.

In this issue of al-Majdal, we look at the Jewish National Fund from various vantage-points. Joseph Schechla examines the ideological roots of Zionist organizations such as the JNF. He shows how the conflation of religion, race, nationality and citizenship, and its incorporation into Israeli law and statutes of Zionist agencies constitutes the pillar of the colonial apartheid regime that harms not only Palestinians but also Jews worldwide. Alaa Mahajna situates the JNF in Israel’s legal regime over land, analyzing recent changes to Israel’s land laws in this light. Mahajneh’s analysis is supplemented by a useful diagram prepared by attorney Usama Halabi that provides a visual map of Israel’s legal regime over land.

Ahmed Abughoush, Vivian Tabar, and Yeela Raanan provide us with case studies from both sides of the green line. These are complimented by a photo-story that describes what one would see on a visit to the JNF’s Menachem Begin park built on the ruins of the Palestinian villages al-Qabu and Ras Abu Ammar. Dan Freeman-Maloy attempts to untangle the workings of the JNF within the web of Zionists lobby, community and fundraising organizations operating in North America. Finally, Sofiah Macleod and Sara Kershnar provide us with an overview of already existing campaigns to challenge the JNF, providing a starting point for discussions on how to develop such campaigns in the near future.

This issue of al-Majdal has been prepared in the lead-up to an international civil society organizing conference which will take place in Scotland in the coming weeks, and that follows from the recommendations of the Bilbao Initiatives (November 2008) highlighting the JNF as a priority for the BDS campaign.

Download a PDF of The Jewish National Fund: A Para-State Institution in the Service of Colonialism and Apartheid.