The Bible and Zionism

Does the bible justify Zionism? Since the foundation of the Israeli state in 1948, Torah and tank have become increasingly inseparable, resulting in the forced expulsion and subjugation of millions of indigenous Palestinians.

Nur Masalha's groundbreaking new book traces Zionism's evolution from a secular, settler movement in the late 19th century, to the messianic faith it has become today. He shows how the biblical language of 'chosen people' and 'promised land' has been used by many Christian and Jewish Zionists as the 'title deeds' for Israel, justifying ethnic division and violence. With Edward Said, Masalha argues that a new politics of peace can only be achieved through a single, democratic state, which replaces religious zealotry with secular equality.

Dr Nur Masalha is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Holy Land Research Project, St.Mary's College, University of Surrey, UK. He is Editor of Holy Land Studies: A Multidisciplinary Journal (published by Edinburgh University Press). His books include: Expulsion of the Palestinians: The Concept of â ~Transferâ (TM) in Zionist Political Thought, 1882-1948 (1992); A Land Without a People (1997); Imperial Israel and the Palestinians (2000); and The Politics of Denial (2003).

"Groundbreaking." --Abrar

"His argument should be read and taken deadly seriously...Nur makes a fascinating comparison between US backing for Israel today and British Christian backing for the Zionist project over a hundred years ago." --John Rose, International Socialism

"As a collection of virtually independent, yet interdependent essays, this books must strike the reader as unique in its breadth of discourse in the now increasingly over-subscribed as well as predominately 'area study' focussed discipline of Middle Eastern politics and history ... very important and contextually relevant." --Sam Jacob, University of Exeter, Friends of Al-Aqsa

"Challenging." --The Pastoral Review