Imperialism and Israel: An Interwoven History

This article examines how Zionism has functioned as both a settler-colonial project and an instrument of imperial dominance. Drawing on the works of Noam Chomsky, Ilan Pappe, Norman Finkelstein, Eric Hobsbawm, Erik Olin Wright, Louis Althusser, Perry Anderson, Antonio Gramsci, Maxim Rodinson, David Harvey, Edward Said, Frantz Fanon, Nelson Mandela, George Habash, and Abdel Wahab El-Messiri, the study situates Israel within the broader context of Western hegemony. Incorporating Althusser’s perspective on ideological state apparatuses, the paper explores how Zionist narratives legitimize imperial control. Gramsci and Anderson’s theories of hegemony elucidate Israel’s role in advancing Western interests, while Harvey’s critique of neoliberalism reveals Israel’s integration into global capitalism through its military and technology sectors. A key focus of this critical examination is the normalization of Israeli-Arab relations, particularly in the wake of the Abraham Accords, arguing that these agreements serve imperial interests while undermining Palestinian resistance. This study incorporates post-colonial and Marxist critiques to analyze the future of Palestinian liberation within the broader struggle against global imperialism. It concludes that Israel’s role in the imperialist system is dynamic, evolving alongside shifting geopolitical strategies and necessitating renewed anti-colonial and anti-imperialist resistance.