Zionism

+## Contemporary Perspectives

+In modern discourse, the term Zionism is subject to diverse interpretations and is often a point of contention. Some critics characterize Zionism as a form of [racism](/wiki/Racism) or use it pejoratively to imply racial discrimination against [Palestinians](/wiki/Palestinians), sometimes referred to as playing a 'racial card.' Conversely, supporters argue that Zionism is a legitimate [self-determination](/wiki/Self-Determination) movement for the [Jewish people](/wiki/Jewish_People) and that equating it with racism is a form of [antisemitism](/wiki/Antisemitism).

+After [World War II](/wiki/World_War_II), the [United Nations](/wiki/United_Nations) voted in 1947 for the partition of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states. In 1948, the [State of Israel](/wiki/State_of_Israel) was declared, marking the culmination of the Zionist movement's primary goal. This declaration, however, also marked the beginning of the [Arab-Israeli Conflict](/wiki/Arab-Israeli_Conflict) and led to the displacement of a significant portion of the [Palestinians](/wiki/Palestinians).

+- [Arab-Israeli Conflict](/wiki/Arab-Israeli_Conflict)

+## History

+The roots of Zionism can be traced back to the ancient [Jewish](/wiki/Jewish) connection to the Land of [Israel](/wiki/Israel), known as Zion. Throughout nearly two millennia of [Diaspora](/wiki/Diaspora), Jewish communities maintained a religious and cultural longing for return to Zion, expressed in prayers, literature, and traditions.

+Modern political Zionism began to develop in the late 19th century, primarily in Central and Eastern Europe, as a response to rising [antisemitism](/wiki/Antisemitism) and the desire for [self-determination](/wiki/Self-Determination). Key figures like [Theodor Herzl](/wiki/Herzl) are considered the fathers of political Zionism. Herzl, deeply affected by the [Dreyfus Affair](/wiki/Dreyfus_Affair), organized the First Zionist Congress in 1897, which established the [World Zionist Organization](/wiki/World_Zionist_Organization) and aimed to secure a publicly and legally recognized homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine.

+Early Zionist efforts focused on practical settlement in Palestine, then under [Ottoman](/wiki/Ottoman) rule, through organizations like [Hovevei Zion](/wiki/Hovevei_Zion). Following [World War I](/wiki/World_War_I) and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the [British Mandate](/wiki/British_Mandate) for Palestine was established, which incorporated the 1917 [Balfour Declaration](/wiki/Balfour_Declaration) expressing British support for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people."

+Immigration waves ([Aliyah](/wiki/Aliyah)) to Palestine intensified between the world wars, especially as [Nazism](/wiki/Nazism) rose in Europe, leading to increased Jewish population and the development of institutions like the [Jewish Agency](/wiki/Jewish_Agency). The [Holocaust](/wiki/Holocaust) tragically underscored the urgent need for a Jewish state, galvanizing international support for the Zionist cause.

+Zionism is a [national](/wiki/National) movement advocating for the self-determination and return of the [Jewish people](/wiki/Jewish_People) to their historical homeland, Zion. It emerged in the late 19th century, influencing the creation of the modern [State of Israel](/wiki/State_of_Israel).

+## See also

+- [Israel](/wiki/Israel)

+- [Judaism](/wiki/Judaism)

+- [Antisemitism](/wiki/Antisemitism)