Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
| Online Publication Date: 24 Feb 2011
The Non-Jewish Origin of Zionism
The Non-Jewish Origin of Zionism
Page Range: 34 – 52
The State of Israel has always claimed that the Jews invented Zionism. This paper takes issue with this claim. It examines the religious conception and geopolitical gestation of Zionism in Europe. First, it traces the non-Jewish origin of Zionism to (1) the Reformation and Counter-Reformation conflict in Europe, (2) the rise of the Puritans in England and the English-Dutch commercial wars, and (3) the Anglo-French rivalry and Napoleon's attempt to estrange the Jews from their European and Ottoman rulers. Second, it outlines how British imperialist imperatives and religious motives ultimately forged Zionism as the “solution” to the “problems” they carefully help create and label the Eastern Question and the Jewish Question. L'État d'Israël a toujours prétendu que les juifs ont inventé le sionisme. Cet article conteste cette revendication. Il examine la conception religieuse et la gestation géopolitique du sionisme en Europe. Il retrace d'abord l'origine nonjuive du sionisme avec (1) le conflit entre la Réforme et la Contre-Réforme en Europe, (2) la montée du puritanisme en Angleterre et les guerres commerciales anglo-hollandaises et (3) la compétition anglo-française et les efforts de Napoléon pour aliéner les juifs de leurs souverains européens et ottomans. Ensuite, il esquisse comment les impératifs impérialistes et les motifs religieux britanniques ont forgé le sionisme comme la ‘solution’ aux ‘problèmes’ qu'ils ont soigneusement aidé à créer et à qualifier de ‘question orientale’ et de ‘question juive.’
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