Zionism: What It Is — What It Isn’t

Zionism ≠ Any One Government or Policy

Being a Zionist doesn’t mean you support the current Israeli government or agree with every policy or military action. Just as Americans can love their country without endorsing every administration, Zionists can be deeply critical of Israeli leadership while still believing in the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish homeland.

A Deep Historical and Spiritual Connection

For thousands of years, the hope of return to Zion has been central to Jewish prayer, ritual, and identity. When Jews say “L’shana haba’a b’Yerushalayim” (“Next year in Jerusalem”) at the end of Passover, or pray for a “new light to shine on Zion,” they are expressing a deep yearning for peace and restoration. Jewish holidays are tied to the agricultural rhythms of Israel. Our tradition faces east — toward the land from which we came.

Zionism is not a modern invention. It’s the political expression of an ancient longing.

A Broader Definition

From Encyclopedia Britannica:

“Zionism [is] a Jewish nationalist movement with the goal of the creation and support of a Jewish national state in Palestine, the ancient homeland of the Jews.”

From the American Zionist Movement:

“Zionism, the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, brought about the establishment of the State of Israel, and views a Jewish, Zionist, democratic and secure State of Israel to be the expression of the common responsibility of the Jewish people for its continuity and future.”— AZM on Zionism

From the Anti-Defamation League (ADL):

“Zionism is the movement for the self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland, the land of Israel. Being a Zionist is distinct from supporting the policies of the government of Israel.”— ADL on Zionism

What Does “Free Palestine” Mean?

Calls to “Free Palestine” can mean different things to different people — and it’s important to ask what is actually being demanded.

For some, it’s a call for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel — a vision consistent with the two-state solution supported by many Israelis and Palestinians, as well as the U.S. and much of the international community.

For others, particularly when paired with the slogan “From the River to the Sea,” it is a call for the elimination of Israel and the displacement of its Jewish population. That interpretation directly contradicts any vision of coexistence.

The phrase “Free Palestine” isn’t inherently antisemitic. But the goals and methods behind it can vary widely — and it’s critical to understand what’s being advocated.

What Does “From the River to the Sea” Mean?

The phrase “From the River to the Sea” refers to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. It includes the entirety of the territory of the State of Israel (in addition to the West Bank and Gaza).

While its origins are unknown, in the 1960s and 70s it became the signature phrase of the Palestine Liberation Organization to indicate the replacement of the State of Israel with a State of Palestine extending “from the river to the sea,” including the expulsion of Jews. The phrase soon after became a rallying cry for terrorist groups including Hamas, the group responsible for the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israeli civilians, murdering over 1,200 people and taking over 250 people hostage.

The phrase “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free” has become prevalent in public discourse, including online and on social media, particularly since the Hamas-led attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, and in the context of protests opposing Israel’s responding military operation in Gaza.

Using the phrase to call for the erasure of the State of Israel or ethnic cleansing of Jews from the land, or simply to harass Jews, is antisemitic. Indicators of antisemitic usage include when the phrase appears alongside (a) text, images, or symbols signaling violence, including references to organizations that advocate for Israel’s violent destruction like Hamas and their leaders or other symbols associated with them, or (b) text, images, or symbols signaling a call for discrimination against Jews, including the exclusion of Jews (or “Zionists,” as a proxy for Jews or Israelis), from social groups, political institutions, professional settings, or the territory of the State of Israel itself. Use of this phrase to deliberately intimidate and harass Jewish people, communities, and/or institutions is also antisemitic.

While the phrase “From the River to the Sea” is regularly used in this deeply problematic manner, it is also true that some use the phrase without knowledge of its meaning to the majority of Jews. They assert that the phrase is not about the eradication of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, but is instead a chant used in solidarity with the Palestinian cause and as a call for human rights and equality across the land. Advocacy for Palestinian rights or for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel is not antisemitic. It is important to note, however, that regardless of intent, the majority of American Jews hear the phrase “From the River to the Sea” as antisemitic.

A Painful Reality: Gaza and the Collapse of Hope

In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip with the hope that Palestinians would begin to build the foundations of a peaceful state. In the democratic elections that followed, Hamas — designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and others — came to power, canceled future elections, and diverted international aid toward weapons and tunnels rather than education or infrastructure.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists launched the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust — murdering over 1,500 people, including civilians from more than 30 countries, and taking Israeli and foreign hostages, dozens of whom remain in captivity. The horror of that day continues to shape how Israelis and Jews around the world understand security, peace, and survival.

The Bottom Line

At Queers for Israel, we believe in human dignity, freedom, and coexistence. We oppose war, oppression, and the erasure of any people — anywhere.

If you support an end to the war in Gaza, the safe return of Israeli hostages, and the creation of a Palestinian state that can live peacefully beside Israel — you’re not anti-Zionist. You’re a peace-seeking Zionist.

Many Jews and many Israelis still hold out hope for a future where both peoples live in freedom and dignity — not in spite of Zionism, but because of it.