From the start, political Zionists identified their program with Judaism the religion (despite their secularism, even atheism).
Also from the start, Jews -- including the most tradition-bound Jews -- vigorously disavowed that identification. They were shamed as self-hating traitors to "their people." As a consequence, many went silent and eventually acquiesced in the creation of Israel, the self-identified "Jewish state." Some even converted to Zionism.
So don't blame non-Jews for being unclear about the relationship between Zionism and Judaism.
I've heard it said that the Zionist leaders of Israel are atheists who claim that a god that they don't believe exists nonetheless gave them the land that they covet.
ReplyDelete