Clashing with Jabotinsky: The Formation of the Zionist Right and Its Consequences for the Political Right in Israel: FALL 2024

Our thesis is that during this key period, the Zionist Right attracted to its ranks diverse individuals with a myriad of ideologies in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Palestine. In the Center were pragmatists, on the right edge, a radical fringe developed. Despite sharing a commitment to anti-communism, confidence in militarism, as well as the sense of being an underdog (morally superior thanks to “Hadar”–Jabotinsky’s conception of honor), Revisionists couldn’t unify. Among hot-button issues were the role of violence in the national struggle, relations with the World Zionist Organization, and a definition of Zionism as colonization versus the rights of an “indigenous people.” Geographic origins, ideology, generational identity, and religious observance divided the movement and hobbled its success.
The origins and ideologies of leading individuals show broad differences. Among the older generation, were “pragmatists”–Jabotinsky, Meir Grossman, Joseph Klausner, Aharon Propes, and Joseph Schechtman–while others held more radical views: Abba Achimeir, Uri Zvi Greenberg, Abraham Stern, Yaakov Winshall, and Yehoshua Yievin. Among the younger generation, we also see a divide with the moderate group represented by Ariyeh Altman, Benjamin Akzin, Yochanon Bader, Menachem Begin, Ruben Hecht, and Shimshon Younitchman. The more radical wing included Israel Eldad, Natan Yellin-Mor, Jonatan Ratosh, and Yitzhak Shamir.