Is Zionism evil

Answer 1

Definition
First, we should have an accurate understanding of what Zionism is. Zionism is the belief that Jews should have political self-sovereignty and is the patriotic sentiment behind the Establishment of the State of Israel. It is worth noting that many Anti-Semites claim that Zionism is a code word for some unclear international cabal of evil Jews trying to control the world (or actively doing so). Such a cabal does not exist and insinuations without evidence or with evidence that has proven to be a hoax that it does exist are Anti-Semitic. Aside from this, since such a cabal would not be concerned with Jewish Nationalism, it, therefore, could not be Zionism.

Others argue that Zionism exclusively refers to the current Israeli Right-Wing or Ultra-Nationalists who argue for Israeli annexation of the West Bank and possible expansion outside of territories currently controlled by Israel. Such people are more properly termed Greater Israel Zionism or Right-Wing Zionism. This is contrasted with Left-Wing Zionism, of which Yitzhak Rabin was a major leader and advocate.

Discussion
Equipped with a definition that is actually useful for what Zionism is, we can have a discussion.

Zionism is a nationalist movement, so if wanting a homeland to be free to self-govern is an evil thing, as several post-nationalists believe, then so is Zionism. However, such a person who holds this view should also condemn the modern states of Turkey, Greece, Italy, Germany, Pakistan, Algeria, Armenia, and numerous other nation-states that were built on such ideals. A unique condemnation of Zionism on the question of nationalism is a mask for modern Anti-Semitism. However, in each of these cases, the creation of a national homeland provided a place where the people could determine their own national cultures, identities, languages, foods, and ideals free from the influence of neighboring countries which had conquered or colonized them or expressed strong intentions of doing the same. It allowed them to be free from persecution. A person who believes that every group of people, especially ones as maligned through history as the Jews, deserve the right to govern their own affairs and be responsible for their own defense, must hold that Zionism is part of genuinely good historic of nation-building and global development.

Some people see Zionism as wicked because the Jews took a land where they did not have a significant presence for many years. However, Jews lived in the Land of Israel from at least 1100 B.C.E. until the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. Almost all Jews were exiled to other countries, known to Jews as the Diaspora. For centuries, Jews prayed for a return to Zion. In the nineteenth century, the Zionist movement, led by Theodor Herzl and Chaim Weizmann, encouraged Jews to turn the dream into reality, and lobbied the international community to understand that a "Jewish national home" was the only solution to Anti-Semitism and the "Jewish problem." The Return of the Jews to Israel would be no different than if the Native American Tribes or the Aboriginal Australians demanded some of the land stolen from them by White Settlers. They were evicted from their home and are demanding a correction to this historical injustice.

Some believe Zionism is evil because of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. What these people neglect to see is that the conflict has nothing to do with Zionism per se and has much more to do with Arab Muslim beliefs about their own right to discriminate from a position of apartheid. Most early Zionists, even Right-Wing Zionists like Jabotinsky actively wanted to integrate Arabs into a Binational Jewish and Arab State. However, it was the Palestinian Arabs (using the term retroactively) who were led by Nazi-Sympathizer and collaborator on the Armenian Genocide Haj Amin al-Husseini who decided that a Judenrein Arab World was desirable. He was responsible for instigating the Nebi Musa Riots of 1920, the Hebron Massacre of 1929, and the Palestinian Civil War of 1937-1939. It was him and his supporters who made it clear that freedom and equality for Jews could only occur in a Jewish State where Arabs would not be able to violently threaten Jewish lives. The Jews were successful in protecting themselves and their children from the violence of the Palestinians and have prevented large-scale persecution (compare this to the promises of the Arabs in 1947 and 1948 that Palestine would be ethnically cleansed of all Jews). This is another benefit which Zionism has conferred.

Zionism has also resulted in a democratic, Western-aligned country in the Middle East. No other movement for self-determination in the Middle East, other than maybe Turkey or Cyprus can boast the same. The provision of human rights in Israel far outstrips any other Middle Eastern country on almost every metric.

However, it is very questionable whether Right-Wing Zionism, which has a more expansionist view, is good since it agitates and provokes more conflict with the Palestinians than may be necessary.

Answer 2

Zionism is belief that the Jews should have political self-sovereignty and is the patriotic sentiment behind the Establishment of the State of Israel. If wanting a homeland to be free to self-govern is an evil thing, as several post-nationalists believe, then so is Zionism, but a person who holds this view should also condemn the modern states of Turkey, Greece, Italy, Germany, Pakistan, Algeria, Armenia, and numerous other nation-states that were built on such ideals.

However, if a person believes that every group of people, especially ones as maligned through history as the Jews, deserve the right to govern their own affairs and be responsible for their own defense, then Zionism is part of genuinely good historic of nation-building and global development.

Answer 3

GOOD. Zionism is the belief that the Jews should have political self-sovereignty and is the patriotic sentiment behind the Establishment of the State of Israel. This is a correct and proper restoration of history to the present. There is certainly discussion to be had about whether Greater Zionism (the idea that all of the Palestinian Territories should be part of Israel) is good or bad, but the existence of Israel as a Jewish Homeland is a good thing.

Israel as an actual country has performed admirably on questions of human rights when compared to its neighbors, permitting freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion, and voting rights for all citizens. Arab Israeli citizens (ethnic Palestinians, Druze, Bedouins, and Arab Christians) receive equal treatment under Israeli Law and even have political parties which have participated in every Israeli Parliament, some of which are opposed to the Jewish State. Further, there is no attempt to alter demography by preventing non-Jews from marrying and reproducing. In fact, aside for Religious Jews, Arab Israelis have the highest birth rates in Israel. While there are demographic concerns in Israel, no Israeli politician or organization has ever contemplated trying to prevent Arabs from marrying or having children, because this is not what Israel is about.

Answer 4

It's good.