The Zionist movement is a political and ideological movement that emerged in the late 19th century with the goal of establishing a Jewish homeland in the historic region of Palestine, which was then under Ottoman rule. The movement was driven by a range of factors, including historical, religious, and political motivations.
The movement was influenced by a variety of thinkers and leaders, including Theodor Herzl, who is often considered the father of modern political Zionism. Herzl's 1896 pamphlet, "The Jewish State," laid out the case for the establishment of a Jewish homeland.
The First Zionist Congress, organized by Herzl in 1897 in Basel, Switzerland, adopted the Basel Program, which called for the establishment of a publicly recognized homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine and for the promotion of Jewish settlement there. The Zionist movement encouraged Jewish immigration to Palestine, a process known as "Aliyah." These waves of immigration aimed to strengthen the Jewish presence in the region and establish Jewish communities.
Proposition of Jewish state in Palestine by Zionist leaders:
The Jewish State by Theodor Herzl (1896):
"We are a people, one people. We have sincerely tried everywhere to merge with the national communities in which we live, seeking only to preserve the faith of our fathers. It is not permitted us. In vain are we loyal patriots, our loyalty in some places running to extremes; in vain do we make the same sacrifices of life and property as our fellow-citizens; in vain do we strive to increase the fame of our native land in science and art, or her wealth by trade and commerce."
The Basel Program (First Zionist Congress, 1897):
"Zionism seeks to establish a home for the Jewish people in Palestine to secure the Jewish people in that home, to help in the development of the country for the benefit of the Jewish people."
David Ben-Gurion's Letter to His Father (1905):
"This is an interesting country, and I felt at home immediately. The first reason is that my people were there, and the second reason is the country itself, which is good, even though it’s somewhat neglected."
British White Paper (1918):
"His Majesty's Government accepts the principle that every opportunity should be afforded for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine."
Extract from the Diary of Chaim Weizmann (1918):
"Our soldiers in the British Army fought in Palestine to deliver it from the Turks. They are going to build the National Home, in which they will live and die for Palestine."
Excerpt from a Letter by Rachel Bluwstein (Raḥel) (c. 1913):
"I’m building a house for my love. It’s still a small house, true. But if I have the love, then slowly, slowly, we’ll make it bigger."
During World War I, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, expressing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This was a significant endorsement of Zionist aspirations.
After World War I, the League of Nations granted Britain a mandate to govern Palestine. The British Mandate facilitated Jewish immigration. In 1947, the United Nations approved a partition plan that led to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.
After the creation of Israel, the Zionist movement shifted its focus from state-building to nation-building, including the ingathering of Jewish communities from around the world and the development of the newly established state.
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