May 15, 1948 New York Times Reports on Declaration of Independence

“PROCLAMATION OF ISRAEL IS CLIMAX TO EFFORT DATING FROM 586 B.C

Establishment of the Jewish state recalls persistent hope for national life since destruction of the Fast Temple 2,500 years ago

The proclamation yesterday of the sovereign state of Israel represents the fruition of a movement, Zionism, that traces its origin back more than 2,500 years.

Historically, the hope of a renewed national existence and of a return to Palestine has existed since the destruction of the Temple and the deportation of the Jews by the Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C.

During their exile in Babylonia the Jews continually looked forward to the reestablishment of their ancient kingdom, and in 539 B.C. they returned with Zerubbabel and rebuilt the temple, symbol of their political as well as spiritual existence.

Some Jewish scholars, in fact define Zionism as the lineal heir attachment to Zion (originally the name of a stronghold in the southeastern part of what was to become Jerusalem) that led to the exile under Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple.

The spirit and tradition of Zionism were strengthened by the revolt of the Jews under Judas Maccabeus against Syrian domination, a revolt that won national independence for the Jews in 142 B.C. this success was short-lived, however, for the Romans under Titus besieged and captured Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and again destroyed the Temple and deported the Jews (e.g. only a small number).

Inspired Bloody Revolt

The hope of return inspired the bloody but unsuccessful revolts under Akiba and Bar Kochba in 118 A.D. and 132 A.D. (e.g. The Revolt of 115-118 was primarily in Egypt and North Africa and Mesopotamia, not in Judaea) the idea of the restoration persisted and became a matter of dogmatic belief and a favorite subject of Jewish literature throughout medieval times. During the persecution and the ghetto-seclusion to which Jews were subjected during the middle-ages, the nationalist spirit suffer little relaxation.

Its strength was practically tested by several would-be liberators such as Sabbatai Zebi, who appeared in Smyrna in 1666 and proclaimed himself the “messiah.” The news of this spread, and in spite of the opposition of some leading rabbis, Jews everywhere prepared for the journey to Palestine. Nationalist excitement throughout Europe was so intense that even the downfall and apostasy of Zebi did not check it; the Jews refused for entire centuries to be disillusioned.

A reaction set in 1778 when Moses Mendelssohn began to preach assimilation and local political emancipation in place of nationalist aspirations. He emphasized the spiritual side of Judaism and the necessity of occidental culture. ALTHOUGH HE WAS SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL, IN THE LONG RUN HIS WORK MERELY SHIFTED THE FOUNDATION OF ZIONISM, FOR BY PROMOTING THE STUDY OF JEWISH HISTORY HE GAVE A FRESH IMPULSE TO THE RACIAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE JEWS, TO THEIR INTEREST IN THE HOLY LAND AND THEIR DESIRE TO PRESERVE THE MONUMENTS OF THEIR ANCIENT GLORIES.

IN 1845, HOWEVER, A CONFERENCE OF RABBIS REPRESENTING “REFORM JEWS” IN FRANKFORT ON MAIN, GERMANY, VOTED TO EXPUNGE FROM PRAYER BOOKS THE PETITIONS FOR “RETURN TO THE LAND OF OUR FOREFATHERS AND THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWISH STATE.” THIS EXAMPLE WAS FOLLOWED IN THE UNITED STATES BY TWO RABBINICAL CONFERENCES, IN PHILADELPHIA IN 1869 AND IN PITTSBURGH IN 1885.

NEW IMPETUS WAS GIVEN TO ZIONISM BY REOPENING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY OF THE “EASTERN QUESTION” ―THE PROBLEM OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. SEVERAL PROMINENT BRITISH STATESMEN, INCLUDING PALMERSTON, DISRAELI AND SALISBURY, SUPPORTED NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TURKISH SULTAN FOR A CONCESSION THAT WOULD PAVE THE WAY TO AN AUTONOMOUS JEWISH STATE IN THE HOLY LAND.

Zionism in its modern form appeared in Europe in the middle of the Nineteenth century with the preachings of Moses Hess, Hirsch kalischer, Perez Smolenskin, and ducation to most parts of Europe. These men prepared the ground for the founder of the Zionist organization, Dr. Theodore Herzl.

In 1896, Dr. Herzl published a pamphlet, “The Jewish State,” (e.g. After the Trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus in France) an event which was the signal for a widespread resumption of activity aimed at a Jewish return to Palestine. The following year the first international Zionist congress met at Basle, Switzerland, and established the Zionist organization, dedicated to “establishing for the Jewish people a publicly and legally assured home in Palestine.”

After long but fruitless negotiations with the Sultan and the British government, Dr. Herzl died in 1904. Meanwhile; the Zionist organization had begun to promote immigration to Palestine and the establishment there of agricultural colonies.

Weizmann Led Zionist Group

During World War I a group of Zionists led by Dr. Chaim Weizmann renewed negotiations with Britain in hope of obtaining a guarantee of the Zionist goal as part of the coming peace settlement. On November 2, 1917, British Foreign Secretary Lord Balfour issued the declaration known by his name, which declared that Britain “viewed with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people and will use its best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object.” The Balfour Declaration was made with the knowledge and concurrence of France, Italy, and the United States.

A month later general Edmund H.H. Allenby entered Jerusalem at the head of a victorious allied army. After the war, in April, 1920, the San Remo conference conferred upon Britain a mandate to administer Palestine under supervision of the League of Nations until the country was ready to assume independence. The mandate officially came into force on September 29, 1923.

Hitler’s campaign of extermination against European Jewry intensified both the Zionist movement and Arab resistance to it, and in April, 1936, a bloody Arab revolt broke out against Zionism and Britain.

IN MAY, 1939, BRITAIN ISSUED A WHITE PAPER STATING THAT THE IDEA OF A JEWISH STATE WAS CONTRARY TO BRITISH OBLIGATIONS TO THE ARABS; IT FORESAW AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINE THAT WOULD SAFEGUARD THE ESSENTIAL INTERESTS OF ARABS AND JEWS ALIKE. IT FORBADE IMMIGRATION TO PALESTINE AFTER FIVE YEARS, AND THE END OF WORLD WAR II THEREFORE SAW THOUSANDS OF UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANTS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE HOLY LAND.

In April, 1947, Britain placed the problem before the United Nations General Assembly, and on November 29, 1947, the Assembly voted to partition the country into an Arab state and a Jewish state.

Source: The New York Times, Saturday, May 15, 1948