Jewish-American author renounces Israeli citizenship over genocide against Palestinians
Avi Steinberg, a Jewish-American author, announced that he has officially renounced his Israeli citizenship, citing the country’s policies toward Palestinians as a primary reason.
Writing for the U.S.-based Truthout, Steinberg criticized Israel’s “ethnicity-based supremacist laws” and described its actions in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories as genocidal.
Why it matters
Steinberg’s decision underscores growing dissent among members of the Jewish diaspora regarding Israel’s policies toward Palestinians.
His move reflects a broader critique of the Israeli state’s historical and ongoing treatment of Palestinian communities and calls for accountability from those associated with the system.
Key points from Steinberg’s essay
- Critique of Israeli laws: Steinberg linked his renunciation to Israel’s 1948 Declaration of Independence, the 1950 Law of Return, and the 1952 Citizenship Law, arguing these were tools for achieving “colonialist aims.”
- Condemnation of systemic inequality: He described Israel as being built on “ethnicity-based supremacist laws” that support “a colonialist military regime aimed at erasing Palestine.”
- Call to action: Steinberg urged his Israeli friends to join him in renouncing citizenship or at least refusing mandatory military service, framing these actions as moral imperatives against injustice.
Personal narrative
- Steinberg, born in Jerusalem to Jewish parents who immigrated under the Law of Return, detailed how his family lived in a home previously owned by a displaced Palestinian family.
- He criticized his parents’ decision to settle in a neighborhood recently subjected to ethnic cleansing, describing it as emblematic of “willful ignorance” that justified their settler presence.
Broader context
- Steinberg’s renunciation comes amid continued Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have drawn widespread condemnation.
- The controversial 2018 Nation-State Law, which Steinberg also referenced, declared Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, elevating Hebrew as the official language and restricting immigration to Jews alone.
Zoom out
Steinberg’s decision, while personal, represents a challenge to narratives that seek to legitimize Israel’s actions under the guise of national security or historical entitlement.
His call for others to join him underscores the tension within global Jewish communities about their relationship with Israel and its policies toward Palestinians.