UMEDT Proposition Case File Sheet

 Motion
 This House believes that Zionism is racism.
 Definition
Zionism is the international Jewish political movement that originally supported the
reestablishment of a homeland for the Jewish People in Palestine. The area was the Jewish
Biblical homeland, called the Land of Israel (Hebrew: Eretz Yisra'el). Since the creation of Israel,
the Zionist movement continues primarily as support for the modern state of Israel.
. Disagreements led to rifts, but ultimately, the common goal of a Jewish state in its ancient
homeland was attained. The term “Zionism” was coined in 1890 by Nathan Birnbaum.

Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary
determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences
produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. People with racist beliefs
exhibit stereotype-based prejudices towards individuals and groups of people
according to their race. In the case of institutional racism, certain racial
groups may be denied rights or benefits, or get preferential treatment. Racial
discrimination typically points out taxonomic differences between different
groups of people, even though anybody can be racialised, independently of
their somatic differences. According to the United Nations conventions, there
is no distinction between the term racial discrimination and ethnic
discrimination.

 Problem/Background

 Plan

Argument Part
the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and in
particular its affirmation that "any doctrine of racial differentiation or superiority is scientifically false,
morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous"
and its expression of alarm at "the manifestations of racial discrimination still in evidence in some areas in
the world, some of which are imposed by certain Governments by means of legislative, administrative or
other measures", Recalling also that, in its resolution 3151 G (XXVIII) of 14 December 1973

Zionism is wrong because it is based on ethnic exclusivism and internalized antisemitism.

Creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel (as opposed to partial "autonomy" in
a couple of tiny enclaves) could relieve some of the worst symptoms of Israeli rule, but it would
not address these basic problems
Zionists preferred to speak Hebrew, a semitic language that developed under conditions of
freedom in ancient Judah, modernizing and adapting it for everyday use. Zionists sometimes
refused to speak Yiddish, a language they considered affected by Christian persecution. Once
they moved to Israel, many Zionists refused to speak their (diasporic) mother tongues and gave
themselves new, Hebrew names
 From negative point of view, what are the possible arguments against this case?

Israeli Ambassador Chaim Herzog stated: Arabic is an official language in Israel on a par with
Hebrew; to the fact that it is as natural for an Arab to serve in public office in Israel as it is incongruous to
think of a Jew serving in any public office in an Arab country, indeed being admitted to many of them. Is
that racism? It is not! That... is Zionism."

 Sources of the info or statistics used