Question by Avishai: Meaning of “Zionism”?
Recently, I have noticed that “zionism” is considered a dirty word. People use zionism to show that Israel and Jews are racist. This has always confused me. These people clearly have no idea what “Zionism” really is.

First, it is important to point out that “Zionism” isn’t mentioned anywhere in Jewish scripture. This means that although many claim that Zionism is based in the Jewish belief that only Jews should live in Israel, they should get rid of outsiders, etc., that claim is inherently false.

Second, there is nothing in the Zionist ideology which preaches the destruction of other people, nor does it teach their degradation. Zionism is just the movement which desired a Jewish homeland in the ancient land of Israel (the homeland of the Jews in the Bible). It is worth noting that Israel has a more diverse population, with more rights and freedoms, than any Islamic country which preaches hate of the “Zionist entity.”

So my question is, why is “Zionism” considered a dirty word? To me, it seems as though it is only that way now because propaganda has created a world where enemies of Israel have attributed traits to Zionism which it doesn’t actually stand for.

PLEASE, PLEASE, only answer the posed question. I don’t need to hear about how much you hate Jews or Israel for whatever reasons.
NIGHTLIGHT- Sorry but what genocide exactly? Since Israel’s creation in 1948, the Palestinian population has QUADRUPLED. That is, by definition, the opposite of a genocide.

Best answer:

Answer by civis totius mundi
Zionism was a colonial movement created in the 1880′s in Vienna.
It’s a “dirty word” because of the many wrongful actions committed against the people who lived in Palestine and owned the land there.
Zionism is a secular movement that was initially denounced throughout the Jewish world as idolatry.

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