The rise of Zionism

Tracing the roots of the zionist ideology

The story of Zionism is complex, intertwined with European anti-Semitism, nationalism, and the colonial mindset of the late 19th century. Understanding these origins is essential to understanding why, for many, Zionism represents not only a nationalist movement but also a settler-colonial project that has dispossessed an indigenous population and created an apartheid state.

Zionism emerged in the late 1800s, primarily in Eastern and Central Europe, as a response to widespread anti-Semitism, marginalization, and exclusion that Jewish communities faced. Pogroms, expulsions, and institutionalized discrimination throughout Europe led many Jews to seek a place where they could be safe from persecution. This aspiration, while understandable, soon transformed into a political movement aimed at establishing a homeland, promoted by influential figures like Theodor Herzl. Zionism sought not just refuge but a state of its own.

The choice of Palestine as the location for this homeland was tied to b…