Zionism is a political ideology advocating the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, defined as the historic land of Israel, and supporting the return of all Jews to this country.

Theodor Herzl founded the Zionist movement in the late 19th century.

Early Development and Influence 

The concept of Jewish settlement in the Holy Land predates Herzl's formal Zionist movement.

In 1861, Moses Hess, in his work The Revival of Israel: Rome and Jerusalem, articulated a plan for the repositioning of Israel, including the settlement of Jewish colonists in the Holy Land under the protection of Western civilised nations.

Hess suggested that universities, whose spirit would harmonise with the ancient Jewish national religion, would arise in the Holy Land. This plan also contemplated the use of Freemasonry to infiltrate European lifestyles and amalgamate diverse historical cults into a single entity, envisaging the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem.

Eastern European Jews, central to this vision, possessed no direct ancestral link to the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Rothschild family played a major role in the Jewish colonisation of Palestine, commencing in the 1880s and extending into the 20th century. Key figures included Edmund De Rothschild of France and Lionel Walter Rothschild of the UK. Edmund De Rothschild initiated support for Jewish settlements in Palestine in 1882, including land purchases for agricultural development.

Lionel Walter Rothschild later became the recipient of the Balfour Declaration. Their involvement included sending experts and agents to manage agricultural colonies, investing in infrastructure, and transferring management to the Jewish Colonisation Association.

Historical artefacts demonstrate maps of Palestine being altered to erase original names and replace them with Israeli nomenclature, indicative of an ethnic cleansing process. David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, received support from James de Rothschild, who also financed the Knesset, Israel's capital building.

The Rothschild involvement is evidenced on Israeli currency, and Baron Rothschild's burial site is in Israel. These philanthropic and institutional efforts ultimately spanned from charity to nation-building, with the Rothschilds providing infrastructure and reaping benefits while others populated and worked the land.

British Policy and the Balfour Declaration 

British support for Zionism gained momentum during World War I. The British sought to redefine their agreements, particularly the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement with France, which had initially planned for Palestine to be under international administration.

Britain aimed to secure Palestine for itself and perceived Zionism as a means to achieve this by justifying an adjustment to the Sykes-Picot terms, presenting it as the advancement of a historic ideal rather than self-interest. British officials also believed that global Jewish support was crucial for winning the war, and that supporting Zionism would mobilise this influence, an idea later deemed false.

Chaim Weizmann, a prominent British Zionist, cultivated strong political connections, gaining traction for Zionist aspirations within the British government. Herbert Samuel, a Jewish British minister, also became receptive to Zionist ideas. Despite initial hesitations from the Jewish elite in Britain, who generally opposed Zionism as a threat to their societal integration, Weizmann persuaded leading British figures of a "vast subterranean influence" and universal Zionist support among Jews, though this was not accurate.

The Balfour Declaration, issued on 2 November 1917, was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Lord Walter Rothschild. It expressed sympathy for Jewish Zionist aspirations and stated that the UK would "use their best endeavours to facilitate the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine".

With this, Zionism became an official objective of British foreign policy. The declaration's language intentionally used "national home" rather than "state," a deliberate choice to enable gradual advancement of Zionist aims. The declaration was legally agreed upon by the British cabinet on 31 October 1917. Lord Milner, then Secretary of State for War, was the primary author and chief supporter of the Balfour Declaration, a fact not publicly disclosed until 1937.

The British government, including figures such as Lloyd George and Balfour, supported the declaration partly presuming a solution for Jewish influence over Europe. The declaration was presented as a means to solidify American support and counter German propaganda.

However, Britain had no legal authority to establish a home or state in lands they did not own, particularly where 92% of the population were unconsulted Muslims and Christians. The declaration included a caveat that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country".

This cautionary clause was largely disregarded. Lord Curzon, a cabinet member, expressed concerns about the fate of the "half a million Syrian Arabs" who owned the land, fearing their expropriation or reduction to subservient roles, but his warnings were unheeded. In international law, the Balfour Declaration, as a policy statement, holds little formal standing.

The British Mandate and the Road to Statehood 

After the World War I, the League of Nations conferred a mandate over Palestine to Britain in 1923, which enshrined the Balfour Declaration's wording into international law, making its implementation a legal obligation for Britain. Jewish immigration to Palestine subsequently increased, leading to growing resentment and opposition from the Arab population. The British facilitated this immigration, automatically granting newly arrived Jewish immigrants Palestinian passports.

By 1937, the Peel Commission recognised the Balfour Declaration's failure, as it had fostered a rivalry between incompatible national movements instead of balancing communities. The commission proposed partitioning Palestine into two states as a solution. In 1939, a British White Paper abandoned partition, advocating for an independent Palestine where Arabs and Jews would share government and limiting Jewish immigration. This paper, however, faced opposition and was ultimately dropped. Britain found itself constrained by its commitment to Zionism, which had become the justification for its presence in the Holy Land.

Despite wartime cooperation, Zionist institutions became frustrated with British restrictions on Jewish immigration, which they viewed as complicit with the Nazi Party. David Ben Gurion, the future Prime Minister of Israel, initiated a secret war against Britain to dismantle British control over Zionism in the region.

The Jewish militia, Hagana, initially cooperated with British forces but later, along with groups like Irgun and Lehi, engaged in actions such as the King David Hotel Bombing. British attempts to suppress these Jewish groups, such as Operation Agatha in 1946, proved unsuccessful due to the resilience and intelligence of the Jewish Agency. This period marked the climax of Ben-Gurion's strategy, compelling the Jewish Agency and Zionist movement to pursue independence as their sole viable option.

The Establishment of the State of Israel 

he British mandate in Palestine concluded on 14 May 1948. Immediately thereafter, the State of Israel was declared, a formation justified by the Balfour Declaration. This period involved a large-scale ethnic cleansing, resulting in over 700,000 Palestinians being displaced from their homes, hundreds of Arab villages being razed, and 15,000 Palestinians being killed.

The act of wiping the word "Palestine" from historical records and maps commenced at this time and continues.

Palestinians and Arabs refer to Israel's birth as Al Nakba, or "the catastrophe," and consider the Balfour Declaration among the most shameful documents ever created by a colonial power, demanding a British apology.

Perspectives on Zionism 

From an Orthodox Christian perspective, Zionism is incompatible with the belief that Orthodox Christians themselves constitute Israel.

Any focus on "saving the empire" or engaging in Zionist ideology is contrary to Orthodox principles, as empires are transient while the Church endures.

Western political leaders always seem to exhibit a Zionist stance due to financial and blackmail (One Nation Under Blackmail) influence from lobbyist groups. This alignment suggests that, for many, their political ideology is not informed by theological principles