What is Zionism?

shiznit770 said:

This term seems to come up often when debating the Israel-Palestine conflict and there seems to be a wide range of meanings attributed to it. Doing some research lead me to a wide variety of definitions and uses of the term. Since the word's use on these forums gives varied responses, I was wondering if it might be worth discussing.

What do you think the term means and what is its place in historic and modern times?

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Zionism, the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, advocated, from its inception, tangible as well as spiritual aims. Jews of all persuasions, left and right, religious and secular, joined to form the Zionist movement and worked together toward these goals. Disagreements led to rifts, but ultimately, the common goal of a Jewish state in its ancient homeland was attained. The term “Zionism” was coined in 1890 by Nathan Birnbaum.

A Definition of Zionism

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