Early Zionist concerns over a Jewish State

A History of Zionism, London 

Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1972 

"Walter Zeev Laqueur (born 26 May 1921) Walter Zeev Laqueur (born 26 May 1921) is an American historian and political commentator. He was born in Breslau, Germany (modern Wrocław, Poland), to a Jewish family. In 1938, Laqueur left Germany for the British Mandate of Palestine. His parents, who were unable to leave, became victims of the Holocaust. He lived in Israel 1938–53 and since then in the UK and US." (wikipedia)

I first read this very detailed work on the political Zionist movement in the Seventies. With almost thousand pages it is packed with information about people, their ideas and how their dream became reality in the birth of the Jewish State on 5 Iyar 1948. The book is quite readable and clearly a love affair to the author. It is a fundamental contribution to the research of the Zionist movement.

I remember from that reading long ago especially two critical views that were expressed on the suggestion by Theodor Herzl (1860-1904) how to solve the problem of prevalent anti-Semitism. After the Dreyfus affair 1894 Herzl was convinced that Jews cannot rely on the government in the country of their residence to defend them and that the best solution is to establish a state where they can defend themselves.

There was - and partly still is - general resistance against the idea of a secular state. Some religious Jews said that the Messiah will rebuild fallen House of David when He comes. It is not right for these Communists and Socialists of the early Yishuv to take such a holy and religious project in their own secular hands.

The concerns expressed by the people quoted by Walter Laqueur were more specific than this generic opposition from religious background. I think both notes are quite relevant also today after the Jewish State is already fait accompli.

(Unfortunately, I do not remember who said these things and where in the thick book the references are. Actually, who said so is here not as important as what was said.)


1.
A rabbi wrote about Jews and state that since the Jewish people have not had a state of their own in the Diaspora they have also been spared from the sins of nations that do have a state.

2.
Someone wrote that, contrary to what Herzl hoped, a Jewish State will not eliminate anti-Semitism. Instead, such an entity will simply just raise anti-Semitism to new heights on national and international level.