The Making and Unmaking of a Zionist: A Personal and Political Journey

Antony Lerman traces his five-decade personal and political journey from idealistic socialist Zionist to controversial critic of Israel’s aggression towards the Palestinians. As head of an influential UK Jewish think tank, he operated at the highest levels of international Jewish political and intellectual life. He recalls his 1960s Zionist activism, two years spent on kibbutz and service in the IDF, followed by the gradual onset of doubts about Israel on returning to England. Assailed for his growing public criticism of Israeli policy and Zionism, he details his ostracism by the Jewish establishment. With a sharp insider’s critique, Lerman presents a powerful, human rights-based argument about how a just peace can be achieved.