Answering the question “Why am I Zionist?” Douglas Feith writes:
There are negative reasons to be a Zionist, and there are affirmative reasons. The negative ones, which relate to historical anti-Jewish hatred and abuse, make the humanitarian case for Zionism—that the Jews need a state because they need a refuge. That argument launched the Zionist movement in the 19th century, and it remains valid to this day.
The affirmative reasons relate to Jewish civilization. They boil down to the conviction that Jewish culture is an invaluable inheritance that only in the Land of Israel, in a state with a Jewish majority, can be developed fully and perpetuated reliably. . . . Israel is not just a refuge and bastion. For the Jews as a people, it is the “organic center.”
To be a Zionist is to revel in the ways Israel has integrated Jewish principles and traditions into the daily life of a large modern democratic society. Though liberal and secular, Israel is a Jewish state. What does that mean? It means that the Jews are in the majority. Their collective interests prevail, so they enjoy the dignity of self-reliance and self-defense. Hebrew is the main language. Jewish history inspires the geographical names. Jewish subjects have a special place in the schools. The Jewish religious calendar influences the rhythm of life. Every Friday afternoon, even in nonreligious neighborhoods, one can hear the hush of Sabbath descend. Britain, Sweden, and other democracies have crosses on their flags, while Israel has a Star of David. And the interests of Jewry as such are a primary concern of the national government.
None of this is so in any other country in the world.
Read more on National Review: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/01/why-im-a-zionist/