Zionism as a Nationalist Ideology - Research Paper Example

 Zionism as a nationalist ideology     Customer Inserts His/Her Name    Customer Inserts Grade Course Customer Inserts Tutor’s Name Customer inserts date Zionism has often been regarded as an influential ideology and a powerful social-political movement founded by the Jewish writer, Theodor Herzl. The anti-Semitism or anti-Jewish sentiment during the 1890’s forced Herzl to start a movement that could lessen the distrust and conflict between Jews and non-Jews. Herzl, in his book The Jewish State- the manifesto or the basic document of the Zionist movement, has clearly revealed the ideologies of Zionism. He propounded the idea that the Jews should constitute not only as religious group but also as a nationality, regardless of the citizenship or where they live. Zionism is an international movement aiming at the reestablishment of a Jewish homeland in the country of Israel. As Israel is the historical land of the Jews, the Zionist movement goes on to support it since the establishment of the state of Israel. Certain aspects, especially the religious tradition links the Jews to the land of Israel. It is believed that the concept of Jewish nationhood originated between 1200 BCE and 70 CE. Though Zionism was not welcomed initially by the Jews, the catastrophe of European Jewry tempted almost all the Jews to consider it as a symbol of hope for their continued existence. The foundation of the state of Israel in the year 1948 had a great impact on the Jews. Some of them considered it as a new homeland and the others took it as an important point of orientation for their Jewish identity in the Diaspora. In spite of being a national movement Zionism had to fight hard for its existence as the United Nations general assembly branded it as a form of racism. However the assembly repealed this resolution later but some of its member nations still have a hostile attitude towards Zionism. The term Zionism has been subjected to various discussion and political controversy and it still continues even after around fifty years of the foundation of the Jewish state. Besides the people of Israel also have different voices concerned about the stage to which they belong to . regarding this controversy, Michael Brenner, the author of Zionism: a brief history put forward his idea that: “Israelis themselves have been debating for a quite while as to which ideological camp embodies “true” Zionism or whether Israeli society has reached a post Zionist stage” (Michael, 2003). Is it fair to perceive Zionism as a nationalist ideology? Zionist Nationalism has acquired a great attention of the international community and media during the end of nineteenth century. It is considered as a Jewish political movement for the purpose of getting Jewish people back to the land of Zion or Jerusalem. Historians and researchers notice that the rise of Political Zionism has emerged in a result of growing liberal nationalism in European nations. Zionist movement gave more emphasis on two basic goals or programs, first one are the liberation of external rule the second one is the unification of partitioned nations in to various groups. Zionism is an ideology and the word is derivated from the biblical word Zion. The ideology of Zionism points out that the desire of Jews and its idea is mainly based on the strong and long link between the Jewish community and its land of Israel. Explain the development of Zionist nationalism within the atmosphere of European anti-semitism and attempted Jewish assimilation and in the context of contemporary European nationalism As a part of fostering equality and respect for the individuals most of the European countries have permitted liberation to the Jews. After this political polarization Jewish community started to play a significant role in the life of European people. Jewish emancipation has constituted undecided results to international community especially in European nations and it revealed through the frustration of many Christians. Historians have noticed that the Jewish people were placed under strict rules and regulations and this social status helped them to form their own communities throughout Central Europe. Laws of the government were endorsed with limited areas in which Jewish people have concentrated. The web article entitled Anti-Semitism in Europe, 1850-1914 helps the reader to understand more about the Jewish defense in Europe. It remarks; “In the face of persevering anti-Semitic incidents and failure of many states to emancipate the Jews, Jewish organizations are founded in order to push for the emancipation and protection of Jews” (Kujtime, 2006). It is easy for a reader to understand that the growth of individualism and civil right movements paved the way for Jewish emancipation in Europe. The development of Zionist movement demands equality of all people in the society and it helped the Jews to gain equal representation in European communities. Anti-Semitism which constitutes fear to the Jewish people has emerged at the time of ancient civilizations in Europe. Jewish people have been discriminated by various factors such as manners, duties, responsibilities, believes and customs in everyday life. Kujtime Presheva asserts “Political Anti-Semitism includes blaming the Jews for the political disruption and governmental disorder, the French and Russian revolution, communism, Nazism, capitalism and wars” (Kujtime, 2006). One can easily find the fact that the ideologies of anti- Semitic persecutions provided motivation and it helped the development of Zionist movement. Zionists have searched new methods and action plans when anti- Semitist movement reached its zenith in Europe .Zionist followers began to follow new methods of struggling like violence and threat. They have utilized the help of modern weapons and billions of dollars in their work field. “This example shows in a nutshell how anti-Semitism may be the bitter enemy of the Jew and at the same time a powerful ally of the Zionist” (Oren, 2004). In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries anti-Semitism subjected to major changes and finally it acquired the status of an anti Jewish movement. At the middle of nineteenth century the term anti –Semitism redefined to indicate anything that go up against the policies and acts of Israelites. Analyzing the pages of the history one can find that The exponents of anti- Semitism argue that the emancipation of the Jewish people in Europe was a serious fault, the Jewish only has a kind of destructive influence on European community, unlike other people Jewish people were different and not for integrating. All these ideologies and external pressures provided motivation for the growth of Zionist movement in European nations. “When the term "anti-Semitism" is casually used to silence those who are critical of the government of Israel and its policies, it should be noted that Zionism's history of alliance with real anti-Semitism has been long-standing and this has been so precisely because Zionism and anti-Semitism share a view of Jews which the vast majority of Jews in the United States and elsewhere in the world have always rejected” (Allan, 2005). Zionist movement has acquired a notable growth in Europe where anti- Semitism and European nationalism were established strongly, because of its different ideology. Zionists have followed an ideology that was a combination of nationalism and liberalism. The ideology of liberalism and human rights provided maximum support to the growth of Zionist movement. Explain how the architects of Zionism strove to redefine the concept of Judaism from religion to ethnicity in order to develop a sense of national identity and how the ambiguity between the two was utilized for their own ends. Zionism and Judaism are widely accepted different philosophies. One of the most important aims of Judaism is to change the nature of the people who believes in Jewish religion. Zionism is perfectly a political movement that demanded the segregation of the Jewish community in an explicit national setting. Ideologies and tactics of Judaism have close relation with their religious beliefs and customs. The exponents of Zionism have given more emphasis to make the world to believe that they are the real followers of the entire Jewish community. Many of the followers of Judaism believe the teachings of Torah and the Torah view point Zionist movement is absolutely wrong .A researcher can find the information from historical records that the exponents of Zionism have made a serious effort to differentiate Zionism in to Judaism. As a part of this serious goal they have formed their own fundamental principles which opposite the beliefs of Torah. Brandon Toropove and Luke Buckles assert ‘To support the modern expression of Zionism is to believe that it is important to maintain “a publicly and legally assured home” in present-day Israel’ (Brandon & Buckles, 2004). Different from religious views of Judaism Zionist followers have made an ultimate law which is subjected to political parties or parliamentary votes in the Middle East. With the help of their own way of conduct and ethical beliefs Zionists have acquired their own identity. Exponents of Zionist movement have redefined their ideology from the religious principles of Judaism. Instead of religious beliefs Zionism gave a vital status for national identity. People have developed the problem of an ambiguity in their mind about Zionism and Judaism. At the beginning a reader can find that Zionism have acquired immense support from entire Jewish community because of its religious principles. Explain why Zionism cannot be regarded as post colonialist as in the early years it sought to be a British protectorate and benefited from this relationship. Expand on this point as required. Even though Zionism is generally considered as an ideology for the Jewish people, some of them have formed an opinion that they could not find difference in between British colonial death squads and Zionist ideology. in the ancient times and in the middle age we can see the Jewish peoples are single in its culture but in the modern age this Jewish nationalism has become changed so it has become unexplained to Jew themselves. One of the most important thing that force the reader to believe Zionism cannot be regarded as post colonialist that European settlers have gone most of Afro- Asian countries for economic and imperialist motives and they have emphasized on exploiting the natural resources in their colonies, While the Zionist activists have tried to establish a Jewish state which emphasized the self identity of Jewish people. Another important thing is that the Zionist settlers have implemented a policy which promotes nation al integrity and national liberation. The journal article Zionist Colonialismz in Palestine argue s that “Unlike European colonization elsewhere, therefore, Zionist colonization of Palestine was essentially incompatible with the continued existence of the "native population" in the coveted country” (Fayez, n. d.). Zionism is fundamentally required two facts, the first one is the immigration and another one is the colonization. In the beginning one can find that Zionism is assisted by the powerful nation, Britain because of that powerful Brittan needs and wish to support colonialism and imperialism. Zionist philosophers have considered colonization would be the better instrument of nation building and they have developed a kind of positive attitude towards Britain and other European countries. But colonialist ideology failed to give effective explanation to Zionist event. The British rule in Palestine from nineteen seventeen to nineteen forty eight has contributed enormous helps to the growth of number of Jewish organizations especially Zionism. Historians have noticed that the British mandate of Palestine was a legal implement for the organization of Palestine. This mandate is undoubtedly understood that nothing should be done which might discriminate the civil religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine. At the end of eighteenth century Britain and other imperialist nations have changed their attitude towards Zionism. Analyzing these historical events a researcher can easily find the fact that Zionist movement cannot be regarded as post colonialist. The web article named Israel: A Colonial or Post-Colonial State? Remarks that ;“Traditional Zionist historiography emphasized that the founders of the state of Israel did not think of their enterprise as colonial in nature and, in fact, abhorred contemporary European colonialism for its parasitical profiting from the expropriation of native land and the exploitation of native labor” (Derek, 2003). A reader can see that the Jewish people have followed both ideologically and practically an exceptional life pattern. These special circumstances paved the way for the development of ideological Zionism. Zionist ideology clearly points out the wide relation between the Jewish community and its land of Israel. After the Basle Congress exponents of Zionism have made a clean propaganda about the nature and aim of Zionist movement in Palestine which is different from the essential features of European colonization. Explain why Zionism doesn’t constitute colonialism despite colonialist, expansionist policies as there was no home nation for which Palestine could be exploited. It is a matter of dispute among the political thinkers that whether Zionism can be regarded as colonialism. Michael Shurkin observes, “It has been a commonplace for Arab political and intellectual leaders to regard Zionists as colonialists, and to identify with the eternal colonized” (Michael, 1993). In order to make it clear Shurkin adopts the words of Joseph Massad, Columbia University Political scientist who considered Israel as the foundation of the “Zionist Jewish colonialism.” The “armed colonists” who worked for this foundation were equal to the “British colonial death squads.” One of the greatest difficulties with the anti-Zionists is that they could not easily define the words ‘colonial,’ ‘colonialism,’ and ‘colonization with regard to Zionism. Anyhow the Americans have a positive association with colonialism. But at the same time the Americans do not know much about the Arab experiences with colonialism. Arab criticizes Zionism as colonialism but it cannot be regarded as the responses to the current events, on the other hand it is the expression of a political discourse with a dissimilar history and sources. When going through the history, one can come to the conclusion that the Arab accusation of Zionism as colonialism began at the moment when the first Jewish pioneers arrived in Palestine. As Jewish colonialism conflated with British or other European colonialism the Arabs’ claims gained vitality with the rise of Arab nationalism. Interestingly enough the Arab nationalism itself was the outcome of the anti-colonial resist and the Zionist Palestine which was very clearly supported by the British. These facts brought the Arabs under the shadow of fear that Zionism was an auxiliary of western colonialism and it made them solid that anti-Zionism is elementary to Arab nationalism. Anti-Zionism acquired its present ideological content in the 1950s. There were clear cut differences between the understanding of anti-Zionism among the Americans and the Arabs. Ignorance of history was the characteristic of the Americans whereas obsession with history was the characteristic with the Arabs. Explain why Zionism doesn’t adhere to traditional concepts of nationalism i.e. there was to begin with no Jewish nation within which national self determination could be achieved however does conform to modern concepts of population mobilization. Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionist movement had tried his best to colonize Zionism. But after the death of Herzl the Zionist movement faced serious insecurity. No other person was capable of instilling enthusiasm and confidence than Herzl that most believed that he could lead Zionism to nationalist movement. Diplomatic failure in Constantinople and various European capitals during the last periods of his life also has caused for keeping Zionism away from nationalism. The unresolved problems of Uganda and the separate parties emerging within the Zionist movement also were great challenges to Zionism. Along with these issues, other problems like the Russian problem of Zionism affected it adversely. During the reign of the tsar rulers, Zionism in Russia was only semi-legal. The lack of their international diplomatic experience also affected the growth of Zionism in Russia. It naturally caused for the power to be vested in among the western Jews. While analyzing the role of the west and European Zionists it is understood that they were at a loss in properly identifying the future direction of the movement. Walter Laqueur identifies that the seventh Zionist congress, held in Basle in late July 1905, had to take a decision about Uganda project (Walter, 2003). This congress raised many questions with regard to the existence of Zionism and there were confusions even in electing a suitable leader to guide with. Some argued for a diplomatic change from the principles of Herzl by strengthening the Jewish presence in Palestine. It was against the concepts of Herzl who foresee the colonization of Palestine on a grand scale. But to make it a reality, there should be a previous political agreement with the Turks which was really impossible. “The investment of money and manpower in small-scale colonization meant not only squandering the scanty resources of the movement: it left the Jewish settlers defenseless, hostages in the hands of the Turks” (Walter, 2003). After evaluating all these factors, one can identify that Zionism cannot aptly be called colonialism. Conclusion To conclude, one can infer that Zionism has exerted a remarkable influence as a movement that tried much to assure the rights of the Jews and reunite the Jews in Zion or Jerusalem. Nowadays it been considered as an influential social ideology. It is the international movement that aims at the reestablishment of the Jewish homeland. Though majority of the leaders including the founder, Theodor Herzl, tried to make a type of colonization, their attempts have been proved failure that after Herzl, there was not much leaders. Anyhow, many political thinkers have identified the activities of the anti-Zionists who have attempted to define and accuse the colonialist mentality of Zionism, According to them, Zionism can be regarded as colonialism when considering its movements in countries like Russia, Uganda, and so on. Thus, one can conclude that Zionism cannot be regarded as colonization but it can be perceived as national ideology. Reference List Brenner, Michael (2003) Zionism: a brief history. Markus Wiener Publishers, pp. 3 Laqueur, Walter (2003) A history of Zionism. Tauris Parke Paperback. Pp. 137 Shurkin, Michael (1993) Is Zionism Colonialism? [Online] Available from: http://www.zeek.net/politics_0306.shtml Penslar, Jonathan, Derek (2003). Israel: A Colonial or Post-Colonial State? [Online] Available from: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~ikalmar/illustex/penslarzionism.htm Sayegh A. Fayez (n. d.). Zionist Colonialism In Palestine [Online] Available from: http://www.falestiny.com/books/Zionist%20Colonialism%20in%20Palestine.pdf Toropove, Brandon & Buckles, Luke. (2004). The complete idiot’s guide to World religions. Alpha Books, pp 63. Brownfeld C. Allan (1998). Zionism and Anti-Semitism: A Strange Alliance Through History, The Washington Report On Middle East Affairs, pp 48-50. [Online] Available from: http://www.codoh.com/zionweb/zistrngallianc.html Medicks, Oren (2004). Israel, Zionism and anti-Semitism [Online] Available from http://www.redress.btinternet.co.uk/omedicks2.htm Presheva, Kujtime (2006). The Rise of Anti-Semitism in Europe, 1850-1914-[Online] Available from http://www.zum.de/whkmla/sp/0910/pjh/pjh1.html Read More