Concept in Definition ABC

The Jewish people were expelled from the Promised Land and this circumstance produced the diaspora, that is, the exile or dispersal of the Jews throughout the planet. In the nineteenth century a movement politician in Europe with the intention that the Jews could regain their territory definitely and that movement received the name of Zionism, whose term comes from Mount Zion, a place very close to the city of Jerusalem.

The Origin of Jewish Nationalism in the 19th Century

In political terms, Zionism is understood as a form of nationalism. However, Jewish nationalism that began in Europe in the nineteenth century has a peculiarity: the element that unifies the Jewish people is their religion. Thus, the national sentiment of the Zionists is not originally given by language or the territory. On the other hand, the Jewish communities were in a difficult situation, since at that time in Europe there was a wave of anti-Semitism. In that social context, the identity

Jewish and a new project was consolidated: the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. Yearning for a new nation created the need for institutions to promote the project and that is why the World Zionist Organization was formed at the beginning of the 20th century.

Zionism as a political movement did not arouse the interest of the entire international Jewish community, since for some the return to the Promised Land could only be carried out through the will divine. Regardless of the controversy between supporters and detractors of a Jewish nation, in 1948 the state of Israel was created and the dream of the Zionists came true.

Different ways of understanding Zionism today

From the point of view of the Palestinians, the state of Israel has meant a new colonization. Consequently, the Palestinians view Zionism as a threat and as an imposition. From the Jewish point of view, Zionism goes beyond the creation of the state of Israel, as it is a national liberation movement. In this sense, most analysts agree that Zionism should not be identified with Judaism, since the former is a political movement and the latter is religious.

The debate on Zionism has diverse ramifications. For its detractors it is a threat, since it represents an attempt to consolidate Jewish power in the international sphere. Other conceptions hold that there is a connection between Zionism and Freemasonry. On the other hand, not all Jews today declare themselves Zionists and maintain that Jewish nationalism is the source of instability. politics between the Palestinians and the Jews.

Photos: Fotolia - Rafael Ben-Ari / badahos

Topics in Zionism