"Germany above all" (Deutschland über Alles) was a nationalist slogan that appeared in the anthem of Nazi Germany, set to the tune composed by Joseph Haydn. Due to the horrors of Nazism – particularly the Holocaust – we are naturally cautious about drawing comparisons to that dark period in history. However, it is difficult to ignore the ideological proximity between the beliefs of extreme right-wing circles in both the United States and Israel and the ideology that was prevalent in Germany at the time.
One of the clearest modern parallels is white supremacy in the United States. White supremacy is a systemic structure that upholds, protects, and assigns value to individuals with "white" skin while simultaneously controlling, silencing, and devaluing "non-whites." Unlike civic nationalism – which maintains that a nation can be multiracial and multicultural, unified by shared laws and values – white nationalism insists that true nationhood is inherently defined by race and ethnicity. Members of violent extremist groups, whether white supremacists or radical Islamists, believe that brutal violence against civilians is not only necessary but justified. They adopt an authoritarian worldview and pursue ideological goals through coercion and aggression.
The U.S. Task Force for Countering Violent Extremism (generally grasped as ideologically, religious, or politically motivated acts of violence) defined White Supremacist Extremists (WSE) as "individuals who seek, wholly or in part, through unlawful acts of force or violence, to support their belief in the intellectual and moral superiority of the white race over other races… WSE violence often targets racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, as well as government and law enforcement official."
White nationalism in the United States encompasses a network of organizations, ideologues, theological interpretations, and – most significantly – a deeply entrenched cultural belief system that functions almost as a form of religion. This worldview, both militant and non-militant, legitimizes and glorifies white racial and ethnic identity. It portrays whiteness not only as superior to all other identities but as an existential pillar of the nation itself. Consequently, all other racial and ethnic identities are perceived as threats to the very existence of the white supremacist movement. At its most extreme, white supremacy is driven by the conviction that it must protect what its adherents perceive as the white race from cultural and racial genocide in an impending racial war. Many white nationalists believe that this war has already begun. In their ideology, violence is not just a means of survival but the primary tool for establishing what they perceive as truth and justice.
A parallel ideological movement – Jewish supremacy – exists within certain factions in Israel. These groups promote the idea that Jews, by their very nature, are superior in value to "other" nationalities, religions, races, or ethnic minorities, particularly Arabs or Ishmaelites. Under this ideology, those who are officially classified as Jews are deemed inherently entitled to rule over "others." This belief system frames Jewish identity – not only in religious terms but as a racial and national hierarchy – as the pinnacle of humanity.
The historical construction of Jewish identity serves as the foundation for the ideology of Jewish supremacy. This ideology manipulates race, nationhood, and religion to create divisions and justify economic, political, and social exclusion. It grants the collective, as well as individual members of the dominant group, specific privileges and advantages. Israeli society is deeply stratified, and its inequalities are largely structured along racial-national-religious lines. This ideology permeates all aspects of Israeli institutions, including the economy, political systems, law enforcement, judicial structures, education, and healthcare. Israeli culture is embedded with beliefs, values, norms, and symbols that reinforce Jewish supremacy.
At the heart of this culture lies a system of separation – most notably, the distinction between Jews and non-Jews in general, and Arabs in particular. Ultimately, Jewish supremacy in Israel functions as a historical mechanism of exploitation, control, and oppression. It exists to concentrate wealth (such as land and other assets), prestige, and power within a specific demographic group while marginalizing others.
In practical terms, what many in Israel refer to as Jewishness is, in effect, a racial construct. It is shaped by a socio-historical process in which racial, national, and religious classifications evolve over time due to shifting social, economic, and political forces. This construct functions as a system of social control, shaping both individual and collective identity.
A common definition of racism is an interpersonal attitude rooted in the belief that certain groups are inherently different – either superior or inferior – compared to "others." This belief manifests in the attitudes, actions, and expressions of individuals who uphold and reinforce the supremacist ideology.
Judaism, as framed by this supremacist ideology, rhetorically dissolves internal social differences within the Jewish community while fostering the illusion that all "Jews" share a stronger common bond than the sum of their internal distinctions.
In societies where Judaism is the dominant social framework – such as Israel – it serves as the primary standard against which all other social structures are defined and measured. The history of Judaism in Israel is rife with instances in which non-Jewish groups, particularly Arabs, have been used as comparative benchmarks, reinforcing the idea that no matter an individual's status within Jewish society, they remain superior to the gentile or Arab population. This hierarchical distinction has been strategically leveraged to secure special rights and privileges for Jews at the expense of non-Jews.
Like white supremacy in the United States, Jewish supremacy in Israel has evolved into a political phenomenon. It is deeply embedded in the power struggles between the state and civil society, as well as among different factions within the Jewish community itself. It dictates key social and political decisions, including for instance: who can marry whom; who can live where; who can work where. These decisions, in turn, shape all aspects of daily life. The classification of an individual as a Jew directly influences their opportunities, affecting not only their survival but also their ability to thrive, prosper, and achieve well-being.
As a political phenomenon, the ideology of Jewish supremacy is closely linked to a fundamental misconception of majority rule – interpreting it as the core principle of democracy while disregarding the essential distinction in constitutional political theory. In democratic governance, majority rule refers to a political majority, one that can shift from election to election. It does not refer to a fixed ethno-religious majority, perceived in organic terms, that seeks to entrench and preserve itself through laws (such as the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People, 2018), institutions, and demographic policies. This interpretation is fundamentally at odds with the nature and function of a majority within a true democratic system.
Given how deeply contentious and politically charged the debate over Jewish identity is, it is unsurprising that conspiracy theories about its future have emerged. Two such theories – both originating in the United States – have become embedded in the ideology and consciousness of activists within Israel's far-right movements, particularly among the most radical and extremist factions: the theory of genocide (Holocaust), and the Great Replacement theory. Both theories are based on the premise that the Jewish people face an existential threat.
The notion of an impending Holocaust was central to Rabbi Meir Kahane’s ideology, encapsulated in the slogan: “Never Again.” This theory asserts that the survival of the Jewish people is endangered by a range of social and cultural phenomena, including secularization, Westernization, and assimilation. These forces are seen as eroding Jewish identity and continuity, ultimately leading to demographic and ideological decline.
The Great Replacement theory, a concept found in various nationalist and supremacist movements worldwide, also plays a significant role in far-right Jewish extremism. This theory was a key concern for Rabbi Kahane, particularly in the context of Israel's demographic problem. He advocated for policies aimed at increasing the Jewish birth rate and encouraging mass immigration of Jews from the Diaspora to counterbalance demographic shifts.
According to this theory, the combination of rising birth rates among non-Jews, increasing numbers of migrant workers and asylum seekers, and relatively low birth rates within the Jewish population will inevitably result in the replacement of the Jewish majority with a non-Jewish majority.
At its core, the idea of replacement stems from the fear that marginalized or opposing groups (such as Black communities in the United States or Arab communities in Israel) will supplant the dominant hegemonic groups (such as white populations in the U.S. or Jewish populations in Israel). This politics of replacement is especially evident in the Kahanist movement, which integrates conspiracy-driven demographic concerns with exclusionary policies. The belief is that the national population is at risk of persecution or even eradication by defined others.
Ideologies that support Jewish supremacy have fueled the rise of Jewish rage movements, such as Otzma Yehudit, which seek to suppress the aspirations, demands, and social progress of non-Jewish populations. This is achieved through various means, including: legislation that discriminates against non-Jews; restrictive policies that limit their rights and freedoms; systemic oppression through legal, economic, and social measures.
In addition to political and institutional discrimination, these movements also contribute to the growth of hate groups, which in turn intensify patterns of violent extremism, hate crimes, and vigilante terrorism. It is crucial to recognize that at the core of all forms of terrorism lies a foundation of hatred. Every organized hate group, regardless of its ideological orientation, is characterized by beliefs or practices that incite hostility, violence, or aggression toward an entire population group or groups.
