Jews Are Not Colonizers in the Land of Israel
The claim that Jews are "colonizers" in the Land of Israel is a flawed narrative that ignores thousands of years of Jewish history and connection to the land. Jews have lived in Israel for over 3,500 years, with a continuous presence dating back to ancient times. While the Jewish population in the region fluctuated due to external factors, such as conquests by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottomans, the Jewish people never abandoned their connection to the land, whether physically or spiritually.
In the mid-19th century, Jews constituted only five percent of the population of Ottoman Palestine. However, this was not due to a lack of indigenous rights but rather the result of centuries of persecution, expulsion, and foreign rule. Comparisons to Canada’s First Nations, who also make up a small percentage of the population despite being indigenous, highlight the absurdity of using population numbers to deny historical ties to the land.
The Zionist movement, which emerged in the late 19th century, sought to re-establish Jewish sovereignty in Israel. This was not colonialism but a return to a homeland that had been the center of Jewish life and culture for millennia. The argument that Jews are colonial settlers ignores the fact that they are not invaders but rather a people returning to their ancestral homeland after centuries of dispersion.
Martin Buber, a prominent Jewish philosopher, once wrote, "Who are the colonialists? Those who came to Palestine in order to establish a colony there, or those who were there before and were expelled from there?" The Jews, who have lived in Israel for thousands of years, are not colonialists. They are indigenous to the land and have a moral and historical right to live there. Any narrative that denies this is not only inaccurate but also disrespectful to the Jewish people and their history.
Opinion: Jews Are Not Colonizers in the Land of Israel
The article rightly challenges the false narrative that Jews are "colonizers" in the Land of Israel, exposing this claim as a distortion of history and a disservice to the truth. Jews have maintained an unbroken spiritual and physical connection to Israel for thousands of years, predating the arrival of many other groups in the region. This historical reality cannot be erased by modern political agendas or revisionist ideologies.
The Zionist movement, far from being an act of colonialism, was a legitimate effort to re-establish Jewish sovereignty in a land that has always been the Jewish people's ancestral homeland. To label Jews as colonizers is not only historically inaccurate but also morally reckless, as it denies the Jewish people their inalienable rights to self-determination and cultural preservation.
The comparison to Canada’s First Nations is apt, as both groups demonstrate that indigenous status is not determined by population size but by historical and cultural ties. Any attempt to deny Jewish indigenous rights in Israel is a form of intellectual and moral corruption, driven by anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist bias.
This article serves as a crucial reminder that truth and history must guide discussions about Israel and the Jewish people. It underscores the importance of rejecting progressive narratives that seek to delegitimize Jewish sovereignty and undermine the principles of national self-determination. In a world increasingly dominated by ideological manipulation, this article stands as a beacon of clarity and integrity.
Published: 9/9/2025
