very small percentage of the Euro pean Jewish population were supporters of Zionism. The vast majority of Jews were "assimilationists'. LOOK the nationality of the they lived in. Others were active in the european socialist val lice revolutionary parties (Trotsky Rosa Luxemburg). Others belonged to the Jewish Bund. (General Jewish workers union of Lithuania, and Russia) which socialist and anti-Zionist.
The Zionists rejected any link with the country they lived in and their hope future jewish nome land. biblical/religious mystification of the 'Promised Land' tionary nationalism and support for Western imperialism were and are the main characteristics of Zionism. It is also worth noting that Zionism was a totally European phenomenon with no tradition among the Oriental Jews influence ocai crumbling They Arab region coulill y the world outside of Europe. and declaration: 'his •as all-Jewish, for the Jewish people..
There had Waves placed Led into land reac- de landowners.
Tendous (cuties
Hebron, indeed.
'corrupt'.
Ottoman Empire. They would bring civilization to a barbaric no different what the European powers were saying about Africa or any other part of In 1917 Britain signed the Balfour Majesty's government view wiin tavour ine establishlment in Palestine of a national home before this been small leading of immigration into Palestine by religious Jews, by Zionists who movbought by the Zionist movement and individuals like Baron Rothschilde from absentee Arab raesuman Jewish conl munities had existed for centuries in • such as sated anc but the numbers were very BI 1914 there were 600,000 Arabs and 80,000 Jews What distinguishes Zionism from other forms of colonialism is its aim not to employ the indigenous population as cheap labour, but literally to displace the indigenous population in favour of creating a Jewish working class in a Jewish state.
The Zionist labour movement and the Histadrut, far from defending the rights of workers, became Zionist forces, LECI the fight against terocious ir labour, in setting up the kibbutz settlements and in laying the basis for the future israeli state.
The Arab population were not mere onlookers in this process. peals to the British to curb Zionist immigration fell on deaf ears. The Arabs correctly saw a very real threat to their existence Palestine Strikes, demonstrations and outbursts carrying out pre-emptive strikes and forceably Arabs from the country. By the end of 1948, 750,000 Palestinians became refugees.
Many when in 1967 Israel occupied the West Bank, Sinai, Golan Heights and Gaza Strip as a continuation of this colonia! settler policy. socialists should oppose HUSI Today Israel is the watchdog of im Arab verialism in the Middle East. It happi Salvendr and trains Sount African sends arms to the The Zionist state has annexed large Ap- areas of Arab territory.
land, taken over deprived Arabs of basic democratic rights in their homeland.
It is no haven for Jews: unconof trollable inflation due to the war more were made refugees They make junta confiscated water reserves, conquered the military. Did you know? -Kibbutzim are collectivist colonies involving only 3% or une population. depicted in Zionist propagalia. They socialist oases were the main agent in the colonisa tion process in Palestine . Thev drove thousands of Arabs off their lands -expropriated these lands in order to 'the desert bloom'. This the did with the backing of millions of - it was no miracle. They are highly dependent on government subsidies. the banking sector and the ex ploitation of wage labour Arab and Oriental Jews. The Kibbutzniks have become the elite in Israel - the middle class. They also play a key role in defending the occupation of the territories and along the borders of Israel in conjunction with Socialist Challenge 22 April 1982 page 9
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