Why Zionism Matters: A Personal Reflection on Jewish Identity, History, and the Rising Challenge of Antisemitism

Zionism is not simply a political movement; it is a lifeline for millions of Jewish people around the world. Half of my family are Jewish and we carry the profound weight of history: relatives lost in the Holocaust, an event that remains the darkest stain on humanity’s conscience. The six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust represent not just a number but a devastating loss of families, cultures, and futures. Despite the passage of nearly eighty years, the Jewish population worldwide has still not rebounded to pre-Holocaust levels. According to the Pew Research Center, the global Jewish population before the Second World War was roughly 16.6 million. Today, estimates place it at approximately 15.3 million (Pew Research Center, 2021). This glaring demographic gap reminds us that the trauma of genocide is not simply historical but has contemporary resonance and implications.

Zionism emerged in the late 19th century as a response to centuries of antisemitism and systemic exclusion. The movement’s founder, Theodor Herzl, recognised the urgent necessity of a Jewish homeland where Jews could exercise political sovereignty and live free from persecution. The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was a moment of profound significance and relief for many Jews worldwide. It was the fulfilment of a dream born out of millennia of displacement, pogroms, and discrimination.

For me and for many others whose families endured the Holocaust, Zionism is not just a political ideology but a symbol of survival, resilience, and hope. It embodies the principle that Jews should never again be left vulnerable to the kind of statelessness and powerlessness that allowed the horrors of the Holocaust to occur.

Despite these lessons, antisemitism has not disappeared. On the contrary, recent years have witnessed a worrying rise in antisemitic incidents across Europe, the UK, and beyond. These range from hate speech and vandalism to violent assaults. The Community Security Trust (CST), the UK’s primary body tracking antisemitic incidents, has documented a steady increase in attacks, particularly following the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023 (CST, 2024).

The terror attacks of 7 October 2023 when Hamas militants brutally murdered and kidnapped Israeli civilians were a horrifying reminder of the ongoing threats facing Jewish communities. However, media coverage, including from some British outlets, was widely criticised for failing to adequately convey the scale of this violence. Some coverage appeared to equate the victims with the aggressors, blurring the reality and, at times, feeding into antisemitic tropes.

Douglas Murray has been a leading voice warning about the shape-shifting nature of antisemitism in contemporary society. In his 2017 book The Strange Death of Europe and subsequent talks, Murray describes antisemitism as “the oldest hatred” that “wears many masks,” adapting to modern political landscapes while maintaining its destructive core.

In a 2023 interview with GB News, Murray emphasised:

“Antisemitism no longer lives exclusively on one side of the political divide. It thrives in the extremes of both the far left and the far right, each using Jews as a convenient scapegoat for complex social anxieties and political grievances.”

This dual presence has complicated efforts to combat antisemitism. On the far left, it often disguises itself as anti-Zionism, with Israel singled out as the embodiment of evil. While criticism of any state’s policies should be permissible, Murray warns:

“When Israel is demonised in ways that deny its right to exist or when Jewish identity itself is questioned, it crosses into antisemitism. This is something that became alarmingly common in the Labour Party.”

My own family’s experience painfully illustrates this reality. Under Corbyn’s leadership, antisemitic attacks and hostile rhetoric increased dramatically. My aunt’s front door was defaced with a swastika, a terrifying and personal reminder of how deep and close to home this hatred still resides.

On the far right, antisemitism remains explicit and unabashed, steeped in conspiracies about Jewish control over global finance and media. Despite their ideological differences, Murray notes how the far left and far right often echo the same antisemitic themes. This brings us to the horseshoe theory.

The horseshoe theory, discussed in political science by Jean-Pierre Faye and cited by Murray, argues that the far left and far right, though on opposite ends of the political spectrum, bend toward each other in terms of tactics and ideology, especially regarding antisemitism. Both extremes employ similar tropes and conspiracies that demonise Jews, especially those connected with Israel or Zionism.

This convergence makes antisemitism more complex and insidious. It is no longer the preserve of fringe extremists but has seeped into broader political and cultural discourse.

One of Murray’s most urgent warnings is about the “institutionalisation” of antisemitism where antisemitic attitudes are tolerated or ignored by the very institutions that should be defending equality and justice.

The Labour Party’s failure to tackle antisemitism decisively under Corbyn was well documented. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s 2020 report concluded that the party was responsible for “unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination” (EHRC, 2020). Many Jewish members felt alienated and vulnerable.

Beyond politics, Murray has been critical of media institutions. The BBC’s handling of the Gary Lineker controversy where Lineker shared a social media post featuring a rat emoji, widely recognised as an antisemitic symbol, was seen by many as an example of the broadcaster’s inadequate response to antisemitism (Evening Standard, 2024). This episode raised uncomfortable questions about whether some institutions are failing to confront antisemitism within their own ranks.

Institutional failure not only emboldens extremists but also signals to society that antisemitism is tolerable, which puts Jewish lives at risk.

For me and my family, Zionism represents survival and hope. It ensures Jewish self-determination and safeguards against statelessness, a condition that enabled the horrors of the Holocaust. In a world where antisemitism remains a deadly threat, where institutional responses falter, and where media coverage sometimes fails to portray the truth, as starkly evident in the reporting on the events of 7 October 2023, Zionism remains essential.

It is a symbol of resilience and a promise that Jews will not again be left vulnerable to hatred and violence.

References

• Pew Research Center. (2021). Jewish population in the world. Link

• Community Security Trust (CST). (2024). Antisemitic incidents report. Link

• Murray, D. (2017). The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam. Bloomsbury Publishing.

• Murray, D. (2019). The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Identity, and Other Modern Myths. Bloomsbury Publishing.

• Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). (2020). Investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party. Link

• Evening Standard. (2024). BBC and Gary Lineker antisemitism controversy. Link