{
  "id": 7173758,
  "title": "Would Jews really be more accepted if the State of Israel did not exist? - opinion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/would-jews-really-be-more-accepted-if-the-state-of-israel-did-not",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T21:14:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-908187"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The difference between Jews with a State of Israel and those without is the ability to defend themselves. For millennia, Jews dispersed across the globe were at the mercy of host countries. If their hosts were favorable, Jews could flourish; if not, their fate became uncertain. Zionism ended this precarious existence by allowing Jews to establish their own means of self-defense, ensuring their survival independent of the goodwill of fickle nations.\n\nRecently, pro-Palestinian activist Rasha Zaid, a candidate for Ontario’s Windsor city council, declared that \"Zionists must be locked up since they are all racists and terrorists.\" The question arises: would Zaid have greater acceptance for Jews if Israel did not exist? The answer is unequivocally no. Zaid, unable to provide evidence for her claims, sees the absence of Israel as Jews being once again at the mercy of others. Her accusations against Zionists are merely a tool to incite antisemitism.\n\nZionism is a spiritual concept, not a political one, promoted by the Almighty through the promise of the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The return of Jews to their ancestral homeland is a recurring theme in Scripture, seen as the foundation for world redemption and reconciliation. Critics equating Zionism with bigotry and racism are attempting to harm Jews by associating them with a dangerous ideology.\n\nZionism does not discriminate; it welcomes Jews and gentiles alike who support the biblical call for Jews to return to their homeland. This recognition of Israel's divine purpose will lead to a shift in perception of Jews from hated to chosen, as foretold in Jeremiah 8:23. The modern State of Israel is not an obstacle to acceptance but rather a testament to God's plan for the Jewish people and humanity.",
  "summary": "After centuries of persecution, Israel gives Jews a homeland where they can defend themselves.",
  "key_points": [
    "Without Israel, Jews would be at mercy of host countries again",
    "Zionism grants Jews self-defense and survival independence",
    "Israel's existence refutes antisemitic claims of bigotry"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Israel and Lebanon to meet in Rome in October, US State Department official says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/israel-and-lebanon-to-meet-in-rome-in-october-us-state-department-7141464",
        "published": "2026-09-13T17:46:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Israel and Lebanon to meet in Rome in October, US State Department official says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/israel-and-lebanon-to-meet-in-rome-in-october-us-state-department",
        "published": "2026-09-13T17:50:39.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}