The Deepening Crisis: Israel, Zionism, and the Cycles of History
Israel is in an unprecedented crisis. The ongoing war with Hamas, which erupted on October 7, is only the latest chapter in a conflict that has raged since the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948. The Israeli government is now accused of committing genocide against both Jewish and Palestinian populations within its borders, perpetuating a narrative that has been centuries in the making. To understand what is happening, one must look beyond recent history and trace the roots of this crisis back thousands of years to the very origins of the Jewish and Arab peoples.
Before the Jewish people were slaves in Egypt, before there was even a concept of an Israelite nation, they were a small tribe of nomadic sheep herders living in what is now Syria. Both Jewish and Arab people share Semitic ancestry, tracing their lineage back to Abraham, the patriarch of both faiths. The story begins with Abraham’s wife, Sarah, who could not conceive an heir. At her urging, he took another wife from a different tribe, fathering three children. However, in her later years, Sarah miraculously gave birth to Isaac, the son Abraham had always desired. This created a rivalry among the brothers. Knowing that Abraham’s inheritance would go to Isaac, the older sons conspired against him, throwing him into a dry well and leaving him for dead.
Egyptians found Isaac and took him to Egypt where his prophetic abilities made him the pharaoh’s most trusted advisor. He foretold a seven-year drought, allowing Egypt to stockpile food and ultimately save not only their own people but also Abraham’s tribe, who came seeking sustenance. Isaac’s brothers did not recognize him at first, and he orchestrated events to ensure they brought Abraham to Egypt. This allowed the Jewish people to settle there, but over time, political changes led to their enslavement. For 430 years, they lived under oppression, but their captivity was not just about forced labor, it was also an experiment in selective breeding. Egyptian rulers cultivated the Jewish people for specific traits, including strength, intelligence, and psychic abilities, shaping them into a unique population unlike any other.
When the Jews finally escaped Egypt under the leadership of Moses, they were not just fleeing oppression; they were carrying the genetic legacy of centuries of conditioning. The Old Testament, which is also the Jewish Torah, presents God as a singular entity, yet the characteristics attributed to this being suggest a duality. There are two opposing forces masquerading as one. Was there a fundamental misunderstanding between Moses and the divine force he perceived as God?
One version of God is a being of compassion, embodying the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule and the principle of free will. The other is a force of control and dominion. True divinity does not give ultimatums, demand obedience, or impose punishment; it exists in free will, which is fundamental to the evolution of consciousness. Moses, attuned to the frequency of divine compassion, may have initially received a simple truth: to live by the principle of compassion and you will create the "promised land" on Earth. But he interpreted this message believing it meant that God had promised his people a physical land, one they must find and claim. Instead of understanding that paradise is created through compassion, he believed in a literal promised land, a physical territory that had to be seized.
Thus began a cycle of conquest and conflict. The Jewish people, wandering for 40 years, sought land that was already inhabited. The Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, documents these conquests. Time and again, they approached rulers, requesting passage or settlement. When denied, they turned to genocide, justified by what they believed to be divine command. The lands of Canaan and beyond were taken through bloodshed; this pattern of genocide, authorized by religious mandate, established a precedent that still echoes in radical Zionist ideology today.
The Jewish people eventually settled in Israel, but their rule was short-lived. By 70 AD, the Romans had colonized Palestine, suppressing Jewish religious practices under penalty of death, marking the beginning of the diaspora. The Jewish population scattered, some remaining in the region as secret practitioners, while others left for Europe. This split gave rise to two major Jewish identities: the Sephardic Jews, who remained in the Middle East and North Africa, and the Ashkenazi Jews, who settled in Europe.
For centuries, Jewish communities thrived in exile, maintaining their cultural identity through strict laws against intermarriage. This self-preservation strategy allowed them to survive but also fueled cycles of antisemitism. Throughout history, Jewish populations would integrate into societies, excel in trade, banking, medicine, and law, only to face backlash when they became too successful. This pattern repeated in Spain, Germany, and Eastern Europe.
By the late 19th century, a movement emerged to reclaim the ancestral homeland: Zionism. Theodor Herzl, considered the father of modern Zionism, believed that Jewish survival depended on the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. However, Herzl and his radical fundamentalist followers believed that Jews had become too comfortable in Europe. To ensure they would leave, Herzl supported policies that made their lives unbearable. The relationship between Zionism and European antisemitism is more complex than commonly acknowledged. In 1933, the Haavara Agreement formalized an economic partnership between Nazi Germany and Zionist organizations, facilitating Jewish emigration to Palestine. Some radical Zionists saw Hitler’s policies as a means to an end, forcing European Jews to flee to their “promised land.”
Following World War II, the creation of Israel in 1948 was framed as a necessity for Jewish survival. However, this land was already home to millions of Palestinian Arabs. To establish a Jewish-majority state, a systematic ethnic cleansing campaign was launched. Palestinians were expelled from their homes, denied citizenship, and confined to territories like Gaza and the West Bank. The conflict that followed was not just about land; it was the continuation of a centuries-old belief that God had granted Israel to the Jewish people, justifying any means necessary to claim it.
Today, radical fundamentalists control Israel’s government, perpetuating a belief that total domination over Palestine is divinely mandated. Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza, emerged as a resistance movement against this occupation. The attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, was not the beginning of the conflict but the latest escalation in a war that has raged for decades. In response, Israel has unleashed unprecedented violence on Palestinian civilians, cutting off food, water, and medical supplies, these actions widely condemned as genocide.
Yet, this crisis extends beyond Israel and Palestine. Iran and Turkey have formed a strategic alliance, and Russia is now supplying nuclear warheads to Turkey, signaling a potential shift in global power. The United States remains trapped in its unconditional support for Israel, unable to withdraw without risking a wider regional war. Meanwhile, Zionist ideology continues to drive Israeli policy, reinforcing a cycle of violence that has existed since Moses misinterpreted the message of compassion.
The root of this crisis lies in religious fundamentalism, the belief that divine authority justifies conquest and genocide. Whether it is radical Zionism, extremist Islam, or Christian fundamentalism, all of these ideologies fuel endless conflict. The only true solution is to break free from these narratives. Humanity must recognize that the “promised land” is not a physical place but a state of being, a land governed by justice, compassion, and coexistence. Until we reject the ancient myths that drive modern wars, we will remain trapped in the same cycle of conquest, suffering, and destruction that has plagued us for over 6,000 years. The time has come to see peace is not found in land or war, it is found in our ability to recognize the shared humanity of all people.
Before the Jewish people were slaves in Egypt, before there was even a concept of an Israelite nation, they were a small tribe of nomadic sheep herders living in what is now Syria. Both Jewish and Arab people share Semitic ancestry, tracing their lineage back to Abraham, the patriarch of both faiths. The story begins with Abraham’s wife, Sarah, who could not conceive an heir. At her urging, he took another wife from a different tribe, fathering three children. However, in her later years, Sarah miraculously gave birth to Isaac, the son Abraham had always desired. This created a rivalry among the brothers. Knowing that Abraham’s inheritance would go to Isaac, the older sons conspired against him, throwing him into a dry well and leaving him for dead.
Egyptians found Isaac and took him to Egypt where his prophetic abilities made him the pharaoh’s most trusted advisor. He foretold a seven-year drought, allowing Egypt to stockpile food and ultimately save not only their own people but also Abraham’s tribe, who came seeking sustenance. Isaac’s brothers did not recognize him at first, and he orchestrated events to ensure they brought Abraham to Egypt. This allowed the Jewish people to settle there, but over time, political changes led to their enslavement. For 430 years, they lived under oppression, but their captivity was not just about forced labor, it was also an experiment in selective breeding. Egyptian rulers cultivated the Jewish people for specific traits, including strength, intelligence, and psychic abilities, shaping them into a unique population unlike any other.
When the Jews finally escaped Egypt under the leadership of Moses, they were not just fleeing oppression; they were carrying the genetic legacy of centuries of conditioning. The Old Testament, which is also the Jewish Torah, presents God as a singular entity, yet the characteristics attributed to this being suggest a duality. There are two opposing forces masquerading as one. Was there a fundamental misunderstanding between Moses and the divine force he perceived as God?
One version of God is a being of compassion, embodying the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule and the principle of free will. The other is a force of control and dominion. True divinity does not give ultimatums, demand obedience, or impose punishment; it exists in free will, which is fundamental to the evolution of consciousness. Moses, attuned to the frequency of divine compassion, may have initially received a simple truth: to live by the principle of compassion and you will create the "promised land" on Earth. But he interpreted this message believing it meant that God had promised his people a physical land, one they must find and claim. Instead of understanding that paradise is created through compassion, he believed in a literal promised land, a physical territory that had to be seized.
Thus began a cycle of conquest and conflict. The Jewish people, wandering for 40 years, sought land that was already inhabited. The Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, documents these conquests. Time and again, they approached rulers, requesting passage or settlement. When denied, they turned to genocide, justified by what they believed to be divine command. The lands of Canaan and beyond were taken through bloodshed; this pattern of genocide, authorized by religious mandate, established a precedent that still echoes in radical Zionist ideology today.
The Jewish people eventually settled in Israel, but their rule was short-lived. By 70 AD, the Romans had colonized Palestine, suppressing Jewish religious practices under penalty of death, marking the beginning of the diaspora. The Jewish population scattered, some remaining in the region as secret practitioners, while others left for Europe. This split gave rise to two major Jewish identities: the Sephardic Jews, who remained in the Middle East and North Africa, and the Ashkenazi Jews, who settled in Europe.
For centuries, Jewish communities thrived in exile, maintaining their cultural identity through strict laws against intermarriage. This self-preservation strategy allowed them to survive but also fueled cycles of antisemitism. Throughout history, Jewish populations would integrate into societies, excel in trade, banking, medicine, and law, only to face backlash when they became too successful. This pattern repeated in Spain, Germany, and Eastern Europe.
By the late 19th century, a movement emerged to reclaim the ancestral homeland: Zionism. Theodor Herzl, considered the father of modern Zionism, believed that Jewish survival depended on the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. However, Herzl and his radical fundamentalist followers believed that Jews had become too comfortable in Europe. To ensure they would leave, Herzl supported policies that made their lives unbearable. The relationship between Zionism and European antisemitism is more complex than commonly acknowledged. In 1933, the Haavara Agreement formalized an economic partnership between Nazi Germany and Zionist organizations, facilitating Jewish emigration to Palestine. Some radical Zionists saw Hitler’s policies as a means to an end, forcing European Jews to flee to their “promised land.”
Following World War II, the creation of Israel in 1948 was framed as a necessity for Jewish survival. However, this land was already home to millions of Palestinian Arabs. To establish a Jewish-majority state, a systematic ethnic cleansing campaign was launched. Palestinians were expelled from their homes, denied citizenship, and confined to territories like Gaza and the West Bank. The conflict that followed was not just about land; it was the continuation of a centuries-old belief that God had granted Israel to the Jewish people, justifying any means necessary to claim it.
Today, radical fundamentalists control Israel’s government, perpetuating a belief that total domination over Palestine is divinely mandated. Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza, emerged as a resistance movement against this occupation. The attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, was not the beginning of the conflict but the latest escalation in a war that has raged for decades. In response, Israel has unleashed unprecedented violence on Palestinian civilians, cutting off food, water, and medical supplies, these actions widely condemned as genocide.
Yet, this crisis extends beyond Israel and Palestine. Iran and Turkey have formed a strategic alliance, and Russia is now supplying nuclear warheads to Turkey, signaling a potential shift in global power. The United States remains trapped in its unconditional support for Israel, unable to withdraw without risking a wider regional war. Meanwhile, Zionist ideology continues to drive Israeli policy, reinforcing a cycle of violence that has existed since Moses misinterpreted the message of compassion.
The root of this crisis lies in religious fundamentalism, the belief that divine authority justifies conquest and genocide. Whether it is radical Zionism, extremist Islam, or Christian fundamentalism, all of these ideologies fuel endless conflict. The only true solution is to break free from these narratives. Humanity must recognize that the “promised land” is not a physical place but a state of being, a land governed by justice, compassion, and coexistence. Until we reject the ancient myths that drive modern wars, we will remain trapped in the same cycle of conquest, suffering, and destruction that has plagued us for over 6,000 years. The time has come to see peace is not found in land or war, it is found in our ability to recognize the shared humanity of all people.
By Violeta-Gaia Obelar
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