Hibbat Zionism Vs. Revisionism

The term “Zionism” originally encapsulated the longing Jews in exile expressed for Palestine and their desire to return and permanently inhabit their homeland as prophesied in the Torah. Zionism as an ideology did not form until the end of the 19th Century as Jews confronted anti-semitism , pogroms, and diasporic living conditions which could only be overcame by returning to their Jewish Homeland. Since the conception of the Zionist Ideology, there have been various movements who have created their own unique ideas on Zionism and their definition of a Jewish State. By comparing and contrasting the Hibbat Zion and Revisionist movements it demonstrates how the original definition of Zionism has been broken into sects which represents different

For example, both groups envisioned the Jewish population in no other location but in Palestine. Both movements believed in establishing a functioning society with a successful economy, trade, labor ethnic, and national fulfillment among the Jews. However, their modes of accomplishing their goals took different routes. The Hibbat Zion movement embraced a Territorial Nationalism more than Political Zionism. Pinsker believed that what affected the Jews living in the Diaspora was their disconnectedness from their homeland. He believes that the Jews resemble ghosts as they try to survive in a country in which they are being persecuted. This lead for the Jews to become vulnerable to anti-semitic violence and called for the Jews to return to their homeland as the solution. Although they promoted a Jewish presence in Palestine, they did not necessarily visioned a Jewish State. On the other hand, the Revisionist did envision and promoted a rapid establishment of a Jewish state in which Jews would be given autonomy to take decisions for their purposes. Jabotinsky believed that if the British government surveyed the land of Palestine and determined the land that could be used to farm would benefit both the Zionist Jews and the Palestinian Arabs. Not only would they provide opportunities in agriculture, Jabotinsky also envisioned industrial development arising which would provide

On the one hand, they had come out in favor of the establishment of a Jewish home in Palestine in the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and they recognized the growing necessity for this kind of step in view of the government-sanctioned anti semitism that was rapidly spreading in Europe. On the other hand, they feared loss of influence in the Arab world at a time that conflict with the fascist powers was approaching.” In the 1930’s, the Revisionists were undergoing an event that the Hibbat Zion movement did not experience. As World War 1 was coming to an end and millions of Jews were determined to immigrate to Palestine to flee from the dangers of their host countries, the British took an unprecedented decision. Great Britain decided to revoke the promises they made in the Balfour Declaration and instead attempt to keep the Palestine conflict under control by limiting Jewish immigration into Palestine. This infuriated Jabotinsky because he could not bear to witness the Jewish people undergoing through violence which could have been prevented if the British government would have created a blueprint of a Jewish State and allow the immigration of Jews into Palestine. This inhibited the Revisionist movement to view their movement as a solely national movement. Unlike other Zionist movements, the Revisionist promoted a militaristic approach in creating Jewish self-defense units which would focus in protecting Jewish