The Origins of the Zionist Movement

The word 'Zionism' was first coined in 1891. The ideology and the movement had its origins on the efforts of Jews to return to their homeland of Israel. Theodor Herzl, an Austrian journalist founded the Zionist movement formally in 1887. The word 'Zionism' is derived from 'Zion' It means 'commemoration' or 'marker'. 'Zion' is one of the biblical names of Jerusalem and Israel.

A sizable number of Jews lived in Israel even before 1897. Jewish migration to Palestine increased in 1882. This was called the first Aliyah. These migrants came because of the anti-Semitic policies followed in Russia. The second Aliyah in 1904 saw further influx into Palestine, which escalated during World War II in the face of Nazi persecution. With the birth of the World Zionist Organization in 1897, the movement to establish a homeland for Jews in Palestine received an impetus.

The original idea sought to reach an agreement with the power that was ruling Palestine- first the Ottoman Empire, and the later the British on behalf of the League of Nations. The Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the League of Nations Mandate endorsed objectives of the movement. The Palestinian Arabs resisted the Zionist movement. In 1948, however, the state of Israel was created.

Zionism is not merely a political movement. There are many other parallel ideological movements like socialist, religious, revisionalists, and cultural Zionism. The basic objectives of Zionism were to enable the full growth of Jewish national life, revive the Hebrew language, and to protect the Jewish people from anti Semitism, both real and perceived.

Some Israeli historians believe that Zionism has lost its relevance after Israel came into being. They want Israel and the Zionists to realize that they cannot ignore the Arabs in Palestine or expel them from Palestine by force. Post-Zionist, as these people are called, feel that no people who dominate another can really be liberated. Most of the Israeli people want peace. Zionism sought the creation of a homeland for Jews so that they could live in peace. However, peace continues to elude them even after the birth of Israel. In that sense, Zionism has achieved limited success only.

The majority of the Jewish people living in various parts of the world did not want to resettle or immigrate to Israel, as there was no pressure on them to do so. Israel's international status is yet to be recognized. Even the Israeli armed forces are dependent on foreign aid for arms. The Zionist movement should focus on economic and cultural development of the Israeli people or else become obsolete.