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the citizens of any other Western democracy regarding their own countries. Both Jews, 87 per-
cent, and Arabs, 82 percent, said they wished to continue living in Israel despite security,
economic, and social challenges. Remarkably, more Israeli Arabs than Israeli Jews (77 percent
compared to 66 percent) believe Israel to be better than other countries, especially with regard
to social welfare, presumably because they are comparing Israel to Arab and Muslim-majority
countries.
ZIONISM
Zionism describes the belief that the Jews are a people and a nation that need a country of their
own in order to survive and fl ourish. As such, it is comparable to other national liberation
movements. But three elements of Zionism make it different from other nationalisms, and
each has had important ramifi cations in Israeli society.
First, Zionism began at a time when there was no Jewish-populated homeland in existence.
People had to be transported to the Land of Israel and the territory built up. Diplomatic ef-
forts were required even to allow immigration, to mobilize popular support, and to create new
institutions and approaches to state building.
Second, at the time of its formation and development, Zionism was only one of several
competing visions for the Jewish future. Its advocates had to compete for supporters and
funds. Others wanted an exclusively religious Jewish identity, or assimilation to other coun-
tries' cultures, or immigration to North America, or autonomy in the East European countries
where they lived (the Jewish Socialist Bund), or affi liation with Communist or socialist move-
ments. Zionism's basic success arose from the Yishuv's ability to build up the country and
defend itself. Having a Jewish state thus became seen as a viable possibility before 1948 and a
reality once Israel was established.
Although the Holocaust destroyed Jewish communities in Europe —killing many, uproot-
ing survivors, and eliminating some alternatives to the creation of a Jewish state — the triumph
of Zionism within the wider Jewish community was not a result of that event. After all, World
War II also enabled the spread of Communist governments, which led to the breaking up of
Jewish communities in central Europe, and prompted many Jews to assimilate in Western
Europe or to immigrate to other places.
Moreover, Jewish communities in the West enjoyed more security after the war, with re-
duced antisemitism and greater prosperity, which encouraged them to consider supporting
the establishment of the State of Israel: they could do so and still be visibly loyal to their
countries of residence. Ironically, the expulsion of Jews from Arabic-speaking countries — a
result not only of opposition to Zionism there but also of growing nationalism, Islamism, and
anti-Western feeling (North African Jews being French citizens)— also increased Jewish im-
migration and support for Israel.
Third, Zionism was a broad umbrella movement that included a wide variety of views rang-
ing from near-Communist to piously religious, from social democratic to liberal to conserva-
tive. On the religious plane alone the variations in viewpoint went from militant secularism to
Haredi religiosity.
 
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