From Nationalist Alignment to Anti-Imperialist Solidarity - Irish Nationalist Perspectives on Zionism in Palestine, 1882 – 1939

Abstract

The following thesis is a historical investigation into the perspectives and reactions of Irish nationalists to the emergence and development of Zionism during the period from 1882 to 1939. In the late 19th century, Irish nationalism’s dominant mode of expression was through the phenomenon of cultural nationalism, and through this it found parallels with the emergence of another nationalist movement that was gathering momentum within the Jewish community; Zionism. However, a shift in this ideological alignment became apparent as Zionism established itself in Palestine, which became particularly evident during the British Mandate period in the 1920’s. The ways in which Irish nationalism responded to Zionism were influenced by both domestic and international factors, and varied from radical to moderate nationalist strands, with radical republican nationalism taking a more anti-imperialist approach. This thesis aims to undercover how and why Irish nationalism’s ideological affinity with Zionism waned as a result of key events, such as the British colonisation of Palestine, the establishment of a settler-population, the use of British policing methods, and finally, partition.