When considering the modern world’s decolonisation movements, few are as profound or as complex as the founding of the State of Israel. While decolonisation is typically understood as the process by which imperial powers withdraw from their colonies, the story of Israel represents something uniquely transformative — a return, rather than a departure; a reclamation of history, culture, and land after millennia of oppression and exile. Israel, in this sense, stands as one of the most remarkable decolonisation projects in modern history, a process in which a people who had been displaced, persecuted, and marginalized for over two millennia finally realised the long-sought vision of re-establishing a Jewish homeland in their ancestral land.
Historical Context: The Exile and the Return
The roots of the modern State of Israel can be traced back to a time when the Jewish people were driven from their land by external conquerors. The destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the subsequent exile marked the beginning of nearly 2,000 years of dispersion and oppression. The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, and the Jews were further scattered across the globe. Despite their absence from the land, the connection to Israel remained a central theme in Jewish culture, prayer, and identity.
For centuries, Jews were subject to persecution, whether in Christian Europe, under Islamic rule, or in various other parts of the world. The centuries of exile were marked by pogroms, expulsions, and discrimination, culminating in the horrors of the Shoah — a catastrophe that claimed the lives of six million Jews. For many Jews, the foundation of Israel in 1948 was not merely a political act but the culmination of an existential need for a safe haven, a place where they could rebuild their community and culture free from the ever-present spectre of persecution.
Zionism: The Vision of Return
The idea of re-establishing a Jewish homeland in the land of Israel was not a colonialist project in the traditional sense. Zionism, the movement that led to the creation of Israel, was founded by Jews as a national liberation movement aimed at ending the centuries of statelessness and suffering. Its proponents, including figures like Theodor Herzl and David Ben-Gurion, sought to reclaim the land of their ancestors, which had been under foreign dominion for centuries. Zionism was not about displacing an indigenous population or establishing foreign rule, but about re-establishing Jewish sovereignty in the historical homeland of the Jewish people.
The Zionist movement did not seek to colonise an empty or uninhabited land, but rather to create a modern, democratic state in a region where Jews had ancient historical roots. Far from being an imperialist venture, it was a reclamation of land that had long been part of Jewish identity, but which had been lost due to centuries of foreign conquest. Israel was thus founded as a democratic state in which Jews could finally exercise their right to self-determination, a right that had been denied for over two millennia.
The Role of British Colonialism and the Balfour Declaration
To understand the significance of Israel’s creation, one must also consider the role of British colonialism in the region. Following World War I, Britain assumed control over Palestine through the League of Nations Mandate. During this period, Britain made several commitments to the Jewish people, most notably the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which expressed British support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. Yet, the British Empire also engaged in diplomatic manoeuvring to placate Arab interests, which resulted in contradictory policies that ultimately failed to resolve the tensions between Jewish and Arab communities in the region.
When Israel declared its independence in 1948, it did so as an act of self-determination, a rejection of continued colonial rule (whether British or Ottoman) and a restoration of Jewish sovereignty. It was not an imposition of a foreign power but the resurgence of an indigenous people who had been waiting for the opportunity to return to their homeland.
The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Challenge of Sovereignty
The greatest challenge to the narrative of Israel as a decolonisation project comes from the perspective of the Palestinian Arabs. While their grievances are legitimate, it is crucial to recognise that the conflict is not as simple as one people’s colonisation of another’s land. Only the Jewish people have ever had sovereignty in the land. Not once, but twice prior to the foundation of the modern State of Israel in 1948.
Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire (1516 – 1917), Britain was granted the Mandate for Palestine by the League of Nations in 1922 — with the specific aim of facilitating the establishment of a Jewish national home. However, in 1921, Britain partitioned off 77% of the Mandate to create the Emirate of Transjordan (now Jordan), effectively allocating the vast majority of the territory to the Arab population. This left a narrow strip west of the Jordan River — the remaining 23% — for potential Jewish self-rule.
It is vital to underscore: Jordan became the de facto Arab Palestinian state, with a population that was (and remains) predominantly Palestinian. What remained for the Jews was only a fraction of the land originally intended to support their national aspirations.
When the United Nations proposed in 1947 to divide the remaining territory into a Jewish state and an Arab state, the Jewish leadership accepted — despite the proposed Jewish state being small, fragmented, and vulnerable. The Arab leadership rejected the plan outright and launched a war against the nascent state of Israel.
The establishment of Israel in 1948 was not an invasion or conquest of land belonging to a native population but the creation of a state on land historically tied to the Jewish people, who maintained a constant presence in the land (albeit small at times) for 3,000 years.
The conflict that ensued was tragic, with both Jewish and Arab lives lost in the process. The wars and displacement were a consequence of the Arab rejection of the United Nations Partition Plan, which sought to create two states — one Jewish, one Arab — in the land of Palestine.
Israel’s very existence was and continues to be challenged by forces that reject the legitimacy of the Jewish state. The notion that Israel is a colonial imposition is grounded in the rejection of the Jewish people’s right to self-determination, despite their ancient connection to the land. The narrative of Palestinian victimhood, while real, must be understood in the context of a broader regional struggle, where the desire to obliterate Israel has often taken precedence over finding a peaceful solution.
Israel’s Success: A Model of Resilience and Innovation
Despite the challenges of the region and the ongoing conflict, Israel has emerged as a beacon of success — a thriving, democratic state built on the values of freedom, equality, and the rule of law. It is a country that has absorbed millions of Jewish immigrants from across the world, from Europe to the Middle East, providing them with a safe and prosperous home. Israel is a country that has turned a barren land into a flourishing economy, with a cutting-edge technology sector, thriving agriculture, and world-class institutions in fields like medicine and science.
Israel’s political and social resilience in the face of existential threats is a testament to the enduring spirit of the Jewish people. Israel is not merely a “colonial project”; it is a thriving example of what a people can achieve when they are given the freedom to build their future in the land to which they have always belonged. The Arab-Israeli conflict, while tragic and complex, does not negate the historical and moral legitimacy of Israel as a self-determined state of the Jewish people.
Israel’s Role in Modern Decolonisation
The creation of Israel should be viewed not as a colonising force, but as one of the greatest decolonisation projects of the 20th century. It represents the reclamation of a lost homeland, the restoration of sovereignty, and the return of a people to their rightful place on the world stage. Israel’s creation is a reminder that the path to decolonisation is often fraught with complexity, but it is ultimately a struggle for self-determination, security, and dignity for all peoples.
As the 21st century unfolds, Israel continues to face challenges both internal and external. However, its story remains an inspiring testament to the resilience of a people who, after centuries of wandering and persecution, have finally realised their dream of self-determination in their ancestral land. Israel is not just a state — it is the embodiment of the triumph of a people over history’s greatest injustices, and a living example of the enduring power of the human spirit to overcome even the harshest of adversities.
