December 23, 2009

So what is zionism?

I just had a letter published in the UK's Independent newspaper responding to a throwaway line by Howard Jacobson that covered a "multitude of sins" by the racist war criminals of the State of Israel. Here's Jacobson:
When does sympathy for Zionist aspiration – the return of Jews to their ancient homeland – become "support", and when does that support become "active"?
And here's me:
Howard Jacobson is being economical with the truth by describing the "Zionist aspiration" as "the return of Jews to their ancient homeland" (5 December). Zionism is the idea that there should be a state in what used to be Palestine specifically for the world's Jews, and that Jews, no matter when or where they or their ancestors became Jewish, should have more right to Palestine and more rights in Palestine than the native non-Jewish population.

Mark Elf

Dagenham, Essex

I think that definition works for zionism today but I'm open to correction.

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