what is a zionist

Zionism is a Jewish nationalist movement that originated in eastern and central Europe in the latter part of the 19th century. Its goal is to create and support a Jewish national state in Palestine, the ancient homeland of the Jews (Hebrew: Eretz Yisraʾel, “the Land of Israel”) . Zionism is a big tent movement that includes those across the spectrum from progressives, moderates, and conservatives, and those who are apolitical. The vast majority of Jews around the world believe in and support the right of the democratic State of Israel to exist as a Jewish homeland. However, not all Jews are Zionists, and not all Zionists agree on what the Israeli government should look like. Arabs and Palestinians generally oppose Zionism, as the explicitly Jewish character of the Israeli state means that Jews have privileges that others don’t.