Poli Tal Zionism

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Political ZionismPolitical Zionism

Dr. Azzam TamimiDr. Azzam Tamimi

MarkfieldMarkfield, 22 February 2003, 22 February 2003pt.compt.com--info@iiinfo@ii

pt.compt.com--www.iiwww.ii


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How & Why?How & Why? Multitude of factors led to success of political ZionismMultitude of factors led to success of political Zionism

-- regionalregional

-- internationalinternational

MuslimsMuslims own contribution:own contribution:

-- backwardness;backwardness;

-- ignorance;ignorance;

-- corruption;corruption;-- injustice;injustice;

-- infighting.infighting.


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ConceptsConcepts TheologicalTheological ZionZion: spiritual link to Jerusalem: spiritual link to Jerusalem

Political Zionism:Political Zionism:-- an ideology that is of complex European origins,an ideology that is of complex European origins,rooted primarily in the socioeconomic realities of therooted primarily in the socioeconomic realities of the

Eastern European Jewish ghettoes & in EuropeanEastern European Jewish ghettoes & in Europeansociety of the late 19society of the late 19thth Century.Century.

Its objectives:Its objectives:

-- To deliver the Jewish people and turn them fromTo deliver the Jewish people and turn them fromparasitesparasites into citizens of their owninto citizens of their own exclusivelyexclusivelyJewishJewish statestate;;

-- To transform individual & communal Jewish parasiticTo transform individual & communal Jewish parasiticmodes of existence into internationalmodes of existence into international symbiosissymbiosis..


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Zionism and JudaismZionism and Judaism

Almost all influential pioneers of political ZionismAlmost all influential pioneers of political Zionismdespised Judaism and were ashamed of theirdespised Judaism and were ashamed of their

JewishnessJewishness, e.g., e.g.

-- TheodorTheodor HerzlHerzl (1860(1860--1904), thought of baptism1904), thought of baptism-- MaxMax NordauNordau (1849(1849--1923),1923), HerzlHerzlss closest friend, aclosest friend, a

selfself--avowed atheist. He believed that the Torah wasavowed atheist. He believed that the Torah was

inferior compared to European classicsinferior compared to European classics .. and.. andchildish as philosophy and revolting as morality.childish as philosophy and revolting as morality.

-- ChaimChaim WeizmanWeizman (1874(1874--1952), Israel1952), Israels first president.s first president.


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Zionist MovementZionist MovementComponents: Jews of diverse backgrounds:Components: Jews of diverse backgrounds:

-- nonnon--specific (mainstream),specific (mainstream),

-- socialist,socialist,

-- religious,religious,-- revisionist,revisionist,

-- labourlabour, etc., etc.


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Common denominatorCommon denominator conviction that since their early history, the Jewsconviction that since their early history, the Jews

have constituted a nation, a people and that thishave constituted a nation, a people and that thispeoplehood confers on them certain timeless nationalpeoplehood confers on them certain timeless nationalrights;rights;

the Jews, without waiting for the divine intervention,the Jews, without waiting for the divine intervention,should achieveshould achieve autoemancipationautoemancipation by taking mattersby taking mattersinto their own hands and terminating their state ofinto their own hands and terminating their state ofperpetual alienation & deep longing;perpetual alienation & deep longing;

this can be achieved via creating a Jewish statethis can be achieved via creating a Jewish statewhosewhose JewishnessJewishness lay neither in its religiouslay neither in its religiousorientation nor in its commitment to Judaism and itsorientation nor in its commitment to Judaism and its

values but in its presumed national (ethnic) Jewishvalues but in its presumed national (ethnic) Jewishcharacter.character.


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European JewsEuropean Jews WorldWorlds Jews in 1800 totaled no more than 2.5s Jews in 1800 totaled no more than 2.5

million, 90 per cent of them in Europemillion, 90 per cent of them in Europe Up to the French RevolutionUp to the French Revolution

The French revolution and emancipationThe French revolution and emancipation

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769Napoleon Bonaparte (1769--1821)1821)

-- revoking rights granted by the revolution torevoking rights granted by the revolution to

the Jewsthe Jews-- provoking nationalist sentimentprovoking nationalist sentiment

Prussian King and German Princes rePrussian King and German Princes re--imposeimpose

old restrictionsold restrictions


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Out of the GhettoOut of the Ghetto Enlightenment influence; Voltaire (1694Enlightenment influence; Voltaire (1694--1778)1778)

Reform Judaism of M. Mendelssohn (1729Reform Judaism of M. Mendelssohn (1729--86)86)

Economic empowermentEconomic empowerment

Migration to urbanMigration to urban centrescentres

Intellectual salons;Intellectual salons; shame ofshame of JewishnessJewishness ((LassalleLassalle))

IntermarriageIntermarriage

Conversions to Protestantism or CatholicismConversions to Protestantism or Catholicism Patriotism (the model of GabrielPatriotism (the model of Gabriel RiesserRiesser))

Backlash of orthodoxy:Backlash of orthodoxy: for Judaism to survive, itfor Judaism to survive, it

needed the exclusivity of the ghettoneeded the exclusivity of the ghetto


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En route political ZionismEn route political Zionism Next Year in JerusalemNext Year in Jerusalem: the central place of Zion.: the central place of Zion.

False Messiahs from DavidFalse Messiahs from DavidAlroyAlroy (12(12thth C.) toC.) to ShabtaiShabtai ZviZvi (17(17thth

C.).C.). 1818thth and 19and 19thth C. England: memoranda and pamphlets proposingC. England: memoranda and pamphlets proposing

restoring Jews to their ancient homeland.restoring Jews to their ancient homeland.

Napoleon called on Jews of Asia and Africa to join him inNapoleon called on Jews of Asia and Africa to join him inrestoring old Jerusalem.restoring old Jerusalem.

In 1839 the LondonIn 1839 the London GlobeGlobe(mouthpiece of the Foreign Office)(mouthpiece of the Foreign Office)published a series of articles advocating the establishment ofpublished a series of articles advocating the establishment ofan independent state in Syria and Palestine, envisaging thean independent state in Syria and Palestine, envisaging the

mass settlement of Jews.mass settlement of Jews. DisraeliDisraelis (1804s (1804--1881) & George Eliot1881) & George Eliots (1819s (1819--1880) novels and1880) novels and

romanticisingromanticising the return to Jerusalemthe return to Jerusalem

Anonymous projects stressing futility of emancipation andAnonymous projects stressing futility of emancipation and

calling for return to Jerusalem.calling for return to Jerusalem.


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Leading Figures of Political ZionismLeading Figures of Political Zionism

Moses Hess (1812Moses Hess (1812--1875):1875): The Revival of IsraelThe Revival of Israelknown asknown as RomeRomeand Jerusalem, the last nationality questionand Jerusalem, the last nationality question..

At the end of 19At the end of 19thth C. there were more than 5 million Jews inC. there were more than 5 million Jews in

Russia, the majority of them severely restricted. Apart from aRussia, the majority of them severely restricted. Apart from afew millionaires, the majority lived in poverty.few millionaires, the majority lived in poverty.

18811881--1884 pogroms (destructions) in response to rumors that1884 pogroms (destructions) in response to rumors thatthe Jews had killed Alexander II (the good tsar of Russia).the Jews had killed Alexander II (the good tsar of Russia).

Mass migration largely to the U.S. and less to Britain, S. AfricMass migration largely to the U.S. and less to Britain, S. Africaaand W. Europe.and W. Europe.

LeoLeo PinskerPinsker (1821(1821--1891): diagnosing the illness and prescribing1891): diagnosing the illness and prescribingthe medicine; from assimilation to statehood (in U.S.A. orthe medicine; from assimilation to statehood (in U.S.A. or

Asiatic Turkey).Asiatic Turkey).

The Lovers of Zion: Associations promoting Jewish migration toThe Lovers of Zion: Associations promoting Jewish migration toPalestine founded 1881Palestine founded 1881--2 independently of each other in a2 independently of each other in anumber of Russian cities.number of Russian cities.

NathanNathan BirnbaumBirnbaum: said to be the real father of political Zionism,: said to be the real father of political Zionism,precededpreceded HerzlHerzl in developing a plan for establishing a Jewishin developing a plan for establishing a Jewishstate in Palestine.state in Palestine.


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TheodorTheodor HerzlHerzl

(1860(1860--1904)1904)AustroAustro--Hungarian journalist & founder of political Zionism, bornHungarian journalist & founder of political Zionism, born

in Budapest and educated in Vienna.in Budapest and educated in Vienna.

His closest friend described him asHis closest friend described him as

intolerant, inhumane in hisintolerant, inhumane in hisjudgment of people, domineering and hyperjudgment of people, domineering and hyper--egoistic.egoistic.

In 1893, he envisaged the general baptism of Jewish children,In 1893, he envisaged the general baptism of Jewish children,because Jews must submerge themselves in the people.because Jews must submerge themselves in the people.

He wanted to appeal to the Pope: help us against antiHe wanted to appeal to the Pope: help us against anti

--SemitismSemitism

and I in return will lead a great movement among the Jews forand I in return will lead a great movement among the Jews forvoluntary and honorable conversion to Christianity.voluntary and honorable conversion to Christianity.

A few months afterwards he came up with a different solutionA few months afterwards he came up with a different solutionto the problem: launch a Jewish national loan to financeto the problem: launch a Jewish national loan to finance

emigration to the Promised Land.emigration to the Promised Land.At the age of 36, in midAt the age of 36, in mid--February 1896, he publishedFebruary 1896, he published DerDer

JudenstaatJudenstaat((The Jewish State: An Attempt at a Modern SolutionThe Jewish State: An Attempt at a Modern Solutionof the Jewish Questionof the Jewish Question))

An assimilated Jew asserts the failure of assimilation no matterAn assimilated Jew asserts the failure of assimilation no matterwhat (what (we shall not be left in peacewe shall not be left in peace).).

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