The Question 'Does Israel Have a Right to Exist?' Is a Manipulative Discourse Trap
Source: Rawan Abhari. "Stop Asking If Israel Has a Right to Exist." April 4, 2026. jacobin.com
The Gist
The author argues that asking whether Israel has a 'right to exist' is a trick question designed to avoid talking about Palestinian suffering. Instead of addressing real problems like displacement and occupation, this question forces Palestinians to prove they're not violent before anyone will listen to their complaints.
Conclusion
The question 'Does Israel have a right to exist?' is not a legitimate legal or political inquiry but a manipulative discourse trap that prevents addressing real Palestinian grievances and perpetuates the foundational contradictions of the post-WWII international order.
Premises
- International law does not recognize a 'right to exist' for states; it recognizes peoples' right to self-determination and prohibits territorial conquest
- The question functions as a political litmus test that forces Palestinians to provide theoretical assurances before their grievances can be heard
- Israel's creation represents a foundational contradiction in the post-WWII order - it was established through violating the very principles the order claimed to uphold
- The UN Partition Plan allocated most Palestinian land to a Jewish state despite Jews being a minority population owning little land
- The 1948 Arab-Israeli War resulted in mass displacement and killing of Palestinians, constituting territorial conquest through force
- Israel expresses Jewish self-determination while systematically denying Palestinians the same right
- The discourse substitutes abstract pledges for addressing material realities of military rule, displacement, and statelessness
Assumptions
- Self-determination should be applied equally to all peoples
- The post-WWII international legal order should be consistent with its stated principles
- Historical injustices in state formation remain relevant to contemporary political legitimacy
- Discourse framing significantly affects political outcomes and justice
- Palestinian grievances are legitimate and deserve direct address rather than deflection