However, opposition to the movement emerged in the late s, led by Theodor Herzl, a Jewish journalist, philosopher and writer from Austria-Hungary who countered that such assimilation could never be achieved in the face of rapidly rising anti-Semitism in Europe. The Balfour Declaration of lent British support to the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine, which was under the control of the Ottoman Empire at the time. The declaration was included in the United Nation Mandate for Palestine, paving the way for mass migration to the region for Jewish settlers.
But it was the mass extermination of around six million Jews during the Holocaust that led Zionist leaders to actively promote the idea of an independent Jewish nation. In the Hebrew Bible, the word Zion refers to Jerusalem, and the movement is identified with the city and the land that surrounds it. Zionism has become increasingly controversial over the past a century owing to its perceived connection to Jewish supremacy and usage as an excuse to uproot and curtail the rights of Palestinian citizens.
Despite the various claims and arguments put forward by Zionists, however, not all Israelis or Jews support the ideology. For example, Haredi Jews , of whom there are almost a million in Israel alone, do not believe in Zionism and reject the State of Israel. Instead, they believe that the true Israel can only be reestablished with the coming of the Messiah.
For centuries, Jews have lived all over the world. Almost every country has its own Jewish minority. Two countries have a large Jewish community: Israel and the United States both around 6 million people. But out of a population of more than million, the 6 million Jews in the United States are but a small minority. The state of Israel was founded after the Second World War, in In the Middle East, in a place where Jews had lived for thousands of years with their Arab neighbours.
Because of their history and religion, Jews had felt a strong connection with this region for generations. Many European Jews who had survived the Holocaust, went to live in Israel after the war. Many Jews from Arab Muslim countries also fled or migrated to Israel.
The United Nations supported the division of what was then still called Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab part.
And they supported the creation of the new state of Israel. Among the Arab population, however, there was a lot of resistance. Immediately after the creation of the State of Israel, five neighbouring Arab countries declared war on Israel. In a statement after Livingstone's suspension, the Jewish Socialists' Group said accusations of anti-Semitism were being "weaponised" to attack the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
On the other hand, supporters of Israel ask why it's the Jewish state that is so widely singled out for criticism and not Iran, Russia, China or any other state attacked for their human rights record. Mark Wallace, writing for Conservative Home , said in practice it would mean either allowing Israel to be wiped out by its enemies or "denying millions of Israeli Jews their home and deporting them".
Some anti-Zionists say Zionism itself is a racist ideology, because of how, in their view, the Palestinian people have been treated by the Israeli state. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign says it opposes all racism, including anti-Jewish prejudice and the "the apartheid and Zionist nature of the Israeli state" - although the PSC has itself been accused of racism for its anti-Zionist stance.
Bouattia said she rejected claims of prejudice, adding that "for me to take issue with Zionist politics is not me taking issue with being Jewish" and that "Zionist politics are held by people from a variety of different faiths, as are anti-Zionist politics". Accusations of anti-Semitism continue to dog Labour. Vicki Kirby was forced to stand down as a parliamentary candidate after tweeting that Hitler was a "Zionist God".
She was re-instated and then suspended again. Gerry Downing, who was expelled from the party, described "Zionist politicians within the ruling classes of America and Europe". Few would deny there are anti-Semites who call themselves anti-Zionists, or that it's possible to criticise Israel without being a racist or a bigot. But agreement on how exactly the two relate appears elusive.
Image source, Getty Images.
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