New Book Uncovers Zionism's Early European Alliances and Colonial Tactics

A new book by Sabri Jiryis explores the origins and spread of Zionist ideology in the late 19th century. The Foundations of Zionism details how early leaders sought European backing to establish a Jewish state in Palestine. The work is based on decades of research, including findings from the now-destroyed Palestine Research Center in Beirut.

Jiryis' research reveals that Zionist leaders actively approached eight European powers for support between the 1870s and 1880s. They targeted Napoleon III of France, Egypt's Khedive Ismail Pasha, and Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz, among others. Later appeals went to Tsar Alexander II of Russia, British Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston, Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, and British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

The movement framed its goals as a defence against what it called the 'savage' Arabs or the 'savage' East. This strategy aligned with the wider colonial ambitions of European empires at the time. Jiryis argues that only around 50,000 Jewish people lived in Palestine from 70 CE until roughly 1900, challenging later claims about historical presence. For years, Jiryis directed the Palestine Research Center in Beirut, which preserved Palestinian archives and studies. The centre was bombed and destroyed by Israel in 1983, killing his wife, Hanneh. Despite this loss, his work continues through his writings and interviews, including a discussion available via *The Electronic Intifada*. His daughter, Fida Jiryis, has translated *The Foundations of Zionism* and written her own memoir, *Stranger in My Own Land*. Both books aim to clarify Zionism's impact on Palestinians. They are available through publishers or the Educational Bookshop in Jerusalem.

Jiryis and his daughter stress the need to understand Zionism's historical roots and political strategies. Their books provide documented accounts of how the movement gained influence in Europe. The research also highlights the lasting effects of colonial-era alliances on Palestine's modern history.