What Does a Jew Want?

Udi Aloni is an Israeli/American writer and filmmaker whose work explores the discourse between art, theory, and action. His art projects have been presented in leading museums and galleries, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and his films Kashmir: Journey to Freedom (2009), Forgiveness (2006), and Local Angel (2003) have been screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, among other prominent venues. This book was published shortly after the murder of his dear friend, Juliano Mer Khamis, director of The Freedom Theater in Jenin Refugee Camp, where Aloni helped him run the Cinema Department.

In the hopes of promoting justice, peace, and solidarity for and with the Palestinian people, Udi Aloni joins with Slavoj Zizek, Alain Badiou, and Judith Butler to confront the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their bold question: Will a new generation of Israelis and Palestinians dare to walk together toward a joint Israel-Palestine? Through a collage of meditation, interview, diary, and essay, Aloni and his interlocutors present a personal, intellectual, and altogether provocative account rich with the insights of philosophy and critical theory. They ultimately foresee the emergence of a binational Israeli-Palestinian state, incorporating the work of Walter Benjamin, Edward Said, and Jewish theology to recast the conflict in secular theological terms.

Foreword, by Judith ButlerEditor's Introduction, by Slavoj ZizekAcknowledgmentsPrologue: The Visit of the Three Magi in the Holy LandSlavoj Zizek in Ramallah: Back to the Trauma Zone, by Merav YudilovitchAlain Badiou in Haifa: Their Entire Particular WorldJudith Butler in Sheikh-Jarrah: "This place which is called Israel"1 Theology: "Specters of Binationalism"A Manifesto for the Jewish-Palestinian Arab-Hebrew StateWhy We Support Boycott, Divestment, and SanctionsThe Star of Redemption with a Split ?2 BodySamson the Non-EuropeanPnay El (Face of God): The Place of Radical EncounterJocasta's Dream: The Birth of Love from the Slaughter of the Innocent3 Place: Writing from Occupied TerritoriesThe Specters of a Borrowed VillageFor Palestine Is Missing from PalestineThe Fish Who Became a ShahidJenin and HomeopathyA Murder Is a Murder Is a Murder: Between Tel Aviv and Bil'in4 Politics: Plea to Jewish ArtistsTrust Your Dreams: To Dorit RabinianThus Spoke the Left: An Attack on the Manifesto of the National LeftThe Betrayal of the Peace Camp: To Achinoam NiniFrom Now On Say I Am a Palestinian Jew: To David GrossmanAnd Who Shall I Say Is Calling? A Plea to Leonard CohenCome Out of Your Political Closets: To Israeli FilmmakersSeinfeld, This Time It's Not Funny!Elementary, My Dear Schnabel: Plea to Julian SchnabelWhat Do You Mean When You Say "Left"? An Answer to Professor Nissim Calderon5 Art: Visual MidrashAn Angel Under Siege: To Hassan HouraniLocal Angel: To Walter BenjaminHoly Language, Holy Place: To Franz RosenzweigForgiveness: To Jacques DerridaAn Angel I Borrowed: To Mahmoud DarwishStabat Mater: To My Father6 Language: Conversations and CommentsThe Jew Is Within You, But You, You Are in the Jew, by Slavoj ŽižekWhat Does a Jew Want? On the Film Local Angel, by Slavoj Žižek"I will tremble the underground": On the Film ForgivenessAngel for a New Place: On the Film Local Angel, by Alain BadiouThe Four Dimensions of Art: On the Film Forgiveness, by Alain BadiouExistence on the Boundary: On the Film Kashmir: Journey to Freedom, by Alain BadiouThere are some muffins there if you want . . . : A Conversation on Queerness, EpilogueOh, Weakness; or, Shylock with a Split S Jenin in Wonderland Precariousness, Binationalism, and BDS, by Judith ButlerMy Very Short Bibliography: Ontology of ExilePledge to Our Language, by ScholemWe Are Lacking a Present, by Mahmoud DarwishAn Opening for an Interview, by Avot YeshurunWho Is a Terrorist?, by D.A.M.A Man Goes, by Haviva Pedaya