Was agnostic Zionist Theodor Herzl a great prophet of Judaism?
The term “Zionism” was first introduced in 1893 by Nathan Birmbaum, but Theodor Herzl, an Austrian Jew born to a prosperous, emancipated Budapest family, is recognized as the founder of the Zionist idealogy when he published his book in 1896, “The Jewish State”, where he declared that the cure for anti-semitism was the establishment of a Jewish state. As he saw it, the best place to establish this state was in Palestine. While Herzl claimed that the establishment of a “Jewish” state would cure anti-Semitism, he also promoted anti-Semitism to further his cause. Herzl stated in his diary: “It is essential that the sufferings of Jews.. . become worse. . . this will assist in realization of our plans. . .I have an excellent idea. . . I shall induce anti-Semites to liquidate Jewish wealth. . . The anti-Semites will assist us thereby in that they will strengthen the persecution and oppression of Jews. The anti-Semites shall be our best friends”. (From his Diary, Part I, pp. 16) Benny Morris
