Zionism is a political movement that originated in eastern and central Europe in the latter part of the 19th century with the goal of creating and supporting a Jewish national state in Palestine, the ancient homeland of the Jewish people. Its core beliefs are that all Jews constitute one nation and that the only solution to anti-Semitism is the concentration of as many Jews as possible in Palestine/Israel and the establishment of a Jewish state there. The World Zionist Organization, established by Theodor Herzl in 1897, declared that the aim of Zionism was to establish “a national home for the Jewish people secured by public law” . The movement drew on Jewish religious attachment to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel (Eretz Israel) .

Zionism has several key features, including the establishment of a Jewish national state in Palestine, the concentration of Jews in Palestine/Israel, and the regeneration of the Hebrew language. The movement was democratic from its inception, and women had the right to vote.

Zionism has been a big tent movement that includes those across the spectrum from progressives, moderates, and conservatives, and those who are apolitical. There are diverse views among Zionists about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, about how to promote peace, whether to support a two-state solution, and about approaches to Israeli settlements.

Disagreements in philosophy led to rifts in the Zionist movement over the years, and a number of separate forms emerged, including Political Zionism, Religious Zionism, Socialist Zionism, and Territorial Zionism.