Religious Zionism

The communitarian attitudes of religious Zionist female adolescents to democracy in Israel

“…These attitudes were particularly apparent in their comments about the territories, reflecting the eschatological beliefs of Rav Tzvi Yehudah Kook and the settlement movement (Fischer et al, 2012; Hotam, 2017). Therefore, in the current political situation, they perceive liberal democracy as a threat to religiosity and civic law as opposed to religious law and advocate a different approach (see also Aran, 1986; Gross, 2010, 2013; Schwartz, 2002).…”

“…The contemporary movement, particularly after the 1967, believes that the conquest of such large areas surrounding the State of Israel within 6 days after fighting against five Arab nations was miraculous and divinely inspired. Religious Zionism is profoundly influenced by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, and particularly his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda, who envisioned the Zionist movement as heralding in the messianic age (Gross, 2013; Sagi and Schwartz, 2017; Schwartz, 2002, 2017) Drawing on this ideology of both Rav Kooks, contemporary religious Zionism believes that the 1967 victory represented ‘the inner purpose of God and the cosmos as a whole, which is that the cosmos must manifest and realize its true Godly nature’ thereby ‘realizing the ultimate eschatological redemption’ (Fischer et al, 2012: 270).…”

Religious Zionism’s Shifting Views on Palestine and the Uganda Scheme

“…46 In 1922 the organization received the name HaPoel HaMizrachi. 47 Although socialism had an anti-religious stance in the USSR, Hapoel HaMizrachi was a religion-based organization. It avoided international labor movements to evade this paradox and show that it was not anti-religious.…”

“…They pointed out that the partition would mean making territorial concessions from the Holy Land, which they said was unacceptable in religious terms. Accordingly they lodged protests against the British Mandate in Palestine 54 Bar Ilan, Maimon, and the Sephardic Chief Rabbi Uziel argued that such a concession had to be avoided in the final period of the construction of a Jewish state, as it would disrupt the Jewish society's morale. 55 Bar Ilan called for an intensification of the armed struggle against the British Mandate.…”

“…So it was a great sin and heresy to give up any parts of the Promised Land. 57 The Peel Commission Report was considered in the 20 th Zionist Congress. Although leaders like David Ben Gurion and Chaim Weizmann supported the partition plan it proposed, it was finally rejected because of the opposition of the Religious Zionists as well as of some Secular Zionists.…”