Zionism as a blessing to the Arabs

This chapter explores the history of the argument according to which Zionism was a blessing to the Palestinian Arabs. Whereas the idea of transferring the Arabs has been discussed at length in the literature by supporters and opponents, the idea of Zionism as a blessing to all has received less attention. When explaining Arab resistance to Zionism despite its blessing, Socialist Zionists used a class analysis. Each party chose its interlocutors according to its ideology, and presented the ‘blessing’ of Zionism according to its worldview. Labour spoke about social revolution and an end to the exploitation of the masses by the urban elites. The argument that Zionism brought a blessing to the Arabs was as old as Zionism itself. During the mandate period this argument was developed and diversified along ideological lines. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the political, ideological and moral motivations that led to the crystallisation of blessing thesis.