Zionism, Holocaust guilt and the making of Israel

The birth of the modern state of Israel in 1948 is "complex and complicated" experts argue – mostly the same experts who advocate and stand behind the conviction for a Jewish homeland. 

In light of current events, it may prove noteworthy to take stock of how Israel was born in the first place and, perhaps more importantly, how its occupation of Palestinian territories has been sustained for all these decades. 

In doing so, this article also aims to debunk some of the logic peddled by pro-Israel voices and amplify historical facts concerning the birth and sustenance of Israel. 

Does it all start with guilt?

While many still strongly believe that Israel was born when thousands of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust came to the then-Palestinian land by ship, it is not entirely accurate. Israel was not born in 1948, almost suddenly, because of a refugee influx. Instead, the idea of a Jewish homeland was born in the late 19th century, if not earlier. 

Due to widespread anti-Semitism in Europe, including discrimination, violence and pogroms against Jews, the Zionist movement (a call for a safe and secure homeland for Jewish individuals where they could escape persecution) gained traction in the late 19th century.  

This was also a time of rising nationalism in Europe, with many ethnic and national groups seeking self-determination and sovereignty. It has been argued that Zionists were influenced by these movements as well. 

The wrongful conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, popularly known as "The Dreyfus Affair," a Jewish French army officer, for espionage in the late 19th century, exposed the deep-seated anti-Semitism in French society. The affair had a profound impact on Theodor Herzl, a Jewish Austro-Hungarian journalist, who became a key figure in the Zionist movement.

The publication of Theodor Herzl's pamphlet "The Jewish State" in 1896 is often considered a seminal moment in the development of modern political Zionism. Herzl argued for the establishment of a Jewish state, and his work mobilised Jewish activists and organisations.

The First Zionist Congress, organised by Herzl in 1897, brought together delegates from various Jewish organisations to discuss and support the establishment of a Jewish homeland. This event marked the beginning of a structured and organised Zionist movement.

Also, migration was another factor in the political climate, building on the idea of a Jewish homeland. 

Jewish communities faced economic challenges, and many Jews were leaving Eastern Europe and Russia for economic opportunities in Western Europe, the Americas and other regions. This migration sparked discussions about the future of Jewish identity and the need for a homeland.

Then, history documented The Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which the British government expressed support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people in Palestine," which provided further international recognition and support for the Zionist cause. Why Palestine? Because it was the promised land to Jews in the Old Testament. 

After the Holocaust, an unprecedented momentum for the call for Jewish statehood unfolded. At the time, Palestine was not an empty land. It was full of predominantly Arabs, and Christians and Jews, as well. 

Before we move further along through the history pages, let's attempt to deconstruct the unanimous and heavy-handed support in the international community for Holocaust survivors to be shipped to Palestine. 
 
In the 1930s, many European leaders adopted a policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany, hoping to avoid another devastating world war. They allowed Adolf Hitler to violate international treaties, remilitarise the Rhineland, and annex Austria and areas in former Czechoslovakia without facing significant opposition. This emboldened the Nazis and contributed to the buildup of their power and territorial expansion.

The persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany began well before the mass extermination during the Holocaust. European leaders and nations did not adequately respond to the early signs of discrimination, violence and anti-Semitic policies that targeted Jewish communities.

Additionally, many European countries had restrictive immigration and refugee policies that made it difficult for Jewish refugees to find safety. While some individuals and organisations attempted to help, overall, the response to the refugee crisis during the Holocaust was insufficient.

In some European countries, collaboration with the Nazis occurred, with local authorities or individuals assisting in the arrest and deportation of Jews to concentration and extermination camps. 

The Allies, including European nations, did not take direct military action to stop or disrupt the operation of concentration and extermination camps, even when they became aware of the systematic mass murder taking place.

European governments did not always effectively share information or intelligence about Nazi activities, which could have helped in assessing and responding to the extent of the atrocities.

And, perhaps more importantly, while there were significant resistance movements in some European countries that opposed the Nazi occupation and attempted to save Jewish lives, such efforts were not always supported or coordinated by national governments.

Leaders in North America did not fare much better either. Both the United States and Canada had restrictive immigration policies in place during the 1930s and early 1940s, which made it difficult for Jewish refugees. The US, for example, had established strict immigration quotas that severely limited the number of refugees it would accept from Europe.

American and Canadian leaders were initially reluctant to become directly involved in European affairs and chose not to take decisive action to intervene in Adolf Hitler's regime. It has been argued that this reluctance was partly fueled by the memory of World War I and a desire to avoid getting embroiled in another European conflict.

Accurate and timely information about the extent of the Holocaust was not always readily available to North American leaders. There were often gaps in understanding the full scope of the atrocities occurring in Europe.

In 1944, there were requests to bomb the Auschwitz concentration camp to disrupt the killing machinery. Despite the availability of the information, Allied leaders, including those in North America, chose not to carry out such bombings.

There were other factors as well, such as public opinion and political considerations, which would influence the decisions of North American leaders, tropes of anti-semitic sentiments and prejudices.

There was a lack of coordinated effort. The United States did not establish a specific government agency or task force to address the refugee crisis during the Holocaust. This resulted in a fragmented and largely ineffective response. 

When reports and intelligence about the Holocaust became available, North American leaders did not always act promptly or decisively to intervene. Diplomatic initiatives and refugee rescue efforts were often inadequate.

The guilt is justified 

Six million Jewish people died in the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazis. 

With the expedited and accelerated migration of Holocaust survivors to historic Palestine – supported by the West – after the end of the Second World War, Israel's independence war occurred in 1948. This saw more than 700,000 Palestinians displaced and 15,000 Palestinians massacred. 

On the "other" side of the narrative, Israel's independence war is called the 1948 Nakba (the Arabic word for catastrophe). 

Since 1948, key historical events have led to modern-day Israel's boundaries. In the undercurrents of collective guilt, historical guilt and even of Holocaust remorse (these are all terms widely used in the literature or discourse on how North America and Europe felt about the Holocaust after the end of the Second World War), something else was brewing. 

A campaign which uses victimhood to commit war crimes against a people over territory. This campaign morphed into the state of Israeli apartheid against Palestinians. The apartheid statehood of Israel gained unwavering support from the US, UK and world leaders in the EU, among others. In many cases, it happened as recognition of the atrocities done to the Jews in the Holocaust and declaring never again. And the primary figure here was Germany. 

For instance, in 1970, West German Chancellor Willy Brandt famously knelt in Warsaw at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes as a gesture of contrition for the crimes committed by the Nazis during World War II. This act became a symbol of Germany's acknowledgement of its historical responsibility.

As the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer was instrumental in fostering reconciliation with Israel. He played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the signing of the Luxembourg Agreement in 1952, which provided reparations to Holocaust survivors and the State of Israel.

More recently, Chancellor Angela Merkel, during her time in office, expressed Germany's ongoing commitment to Holocaust remembrance and the fight against anti-Semitism. Her leadership included visits to concentration camps, meetings with Holocaust survivors, and support for educational programs on the Holocaust.

French President François Mitterrand acknowledged France's collaboration with the Nazis during World War II and expressed remorse for the deportation of French Jews to concentration camps. In 1995, he attended the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

President Andrzej Duda of Poland has been involved in Holocaust remembrance events and has expressed a commitment to preserving the memory of the Holocaust. Poland is home to several Holocaust memorials and museums.

The European Union, as a whole, has also emphasised the importance of Holocaust remembrance. The European Parliament has adopted resolutions and statements reaffirming the commitment to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, combating anti-Semitism and promoting tolerance and education.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office during World War II and played a crucial role in the Allied efforts to defeat Nazi Germany. While in office, he expressed concern about the treatment of Jews in Europe and took some measures to aid refugees. However, critics argue that his administration did not do enough to rescue Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.

President Harry S Truman, who succeeded Roosevelt, recognised the State of Israel shortly after its declaration in 1948, becoming the first world leader to do so. This recognition played a significant role in the establishment of Israel as a nation.

President Ronald Reagan established the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, in 1993, and presidents since then have participated in Holocaust remembrance events.

Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King was in office during World War II and was responsible for Canadian policies regarding Jewish refugees. Canada, like other Western nations, has faced criticism for not accepting more Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.

In 2003, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien issued a formal apology in the Canadian Parliament for the country's refusal to accept Jewish refugees during World War II. Subsequent Canadian leaders have also participated in Holocaust remembrance events and supported educational initiatives.

Unwavering support for Israel amounts to $300 billion from the United States alone to Israel since 1948. And under the Holocaust remembrance events and recognition of the atrocities committed on the Jews in the Second World War, a parallel world existed. Here, the Palestinian people endured systematic and systemic abuse, discrimination and violence at the hands of the Israeli government under an apartheid regime. The Palestinians also continued to face a loss of land — evictions and demolished homes. 

The latest 7 October terrorist attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas gave way to over 9,500 Palestinians killed by 6 November by the Israeli government and supported by its allies, especially the United States. It is generally framed as "a cycle of violence" by mainstream media, negating the history of occupation by Israel of Palestine and the war crimes the Israeli regime committed since 1947/8. 

The violent apartheid regime of Israel continues to be made possible by world leaders in the West – and their support for Israel and its actions. As this article argues, it may as well have all started with guilt and the will to compensate for the collective guilt of allowing the Holocaust to take place in the first place.