Vienna Witnesses the Birth of a Global Front Against Zionism

Author: عوض عبد الفتاح

In an exceptional historical moment, amidst the ongoing massacre faced by the Palestinian people, a conference against Zionism was held two weeks ago in the Austrian capital, Vienna (the first conference that led to the establishment of the World Zionist Organization took place in 1897 in Basel, Switzerland), at the initiative of Jewish intellectuals and activists. Its bold and provocative title sparked a discussion within Palestinian circles from the outset: Is it worthwhile to participate in a conference organized by anti-Zionist Jews? Shouldn't opposing Zionism primarily be a moral responsibility for Jews, just as it is an existential responsibility for Palestinians? And is it better to leave the platform to these Jews to express their rejection of the Zionist system in order to influence the Western societies complicit with the Zionist extermination regime, which deliberately mixes anti-Semitism with legitimate criticism of Israel?

Some Palestinian voices expressed, albeit cautiously, their concern that these initiatives might turn into an attempt to "contain" or co-opt the voice of the Palestinians themselves in the global solidarity arena. However, this hesitation soon receded once the liberatory nature of the conference and its boldness in confronting official Western narratives became clear.

I participated alongside Dr. Ghada Karmi, the known activist and writer in Britain, and Dr. Ramzy Baroud, the Palestinian author and editor residing in the United States, in this three-day conference (June 11-13, 2025), which included important contributions from Jewish intellectuals and thinkers from around the world. Prior to the conference, a preparatory meeting was held via Zoom, where it was agreed to expand the scope of the conference to be a global platform aimed at building a humanitarian front against Zionism and all forms of oppression: from colonialism and exploitation to neoliberalism and racism and imperialism.

The Symbolism of Vienna and the Burden of History

The choice of Vienna, where Theodor Herzl, the founder of political Zionism, lived, was not coincidental. The symbolism here is profound, as this conference aims to combat the project that began in this city over a century ago, in the same city that today witnesses the formation of a new consciousness, both Jewish and global, against the atrocities of this project.

More than 400 Jews from various generations, orientations, and professions participated in this conference, despite restrictions and pressures, as well as dozens of non-Jews. As the organizers recounted, most venues in Vienna refused to host the conference, forcing them to accept it in a wedding hall owned by Turkish citizens, who offered it for free in defiance of intimidation campaigns.

The Roots of the Jewish Anti-Zionist Movement

What should be remembered is that opposition to Zionism has never been the monopoly of Palestinians or Arabs. It emerged alongside the Zionist movement itself. In 1897, when Herzl organized the first Zionist conference, the "Bund" Jewish socialist movement in Eastern Europe was leading a popular opposition front to Zionism, calling for the integration of Jews in their national communities, rather than the establishment of a settler state in another land.

Historical studies show that the vast majority of Eastern European Jews – until the 1930s – were not Zionist, but considered Zionism a reactionary movement, or even heretical, as viewed by Orthodox Jews, and that hundreds of thousands of Jews who emigrated from Europe did not head towards Palestine, but to the Americas, Britain, and South Africa. Most of the Jews who perished in the Nazi holocaust were non-Zionists. Indeed, the West, after the war, refused to host the survivors and forcibly pushed them towards Palestine, as it wanted Israel to be a functional project within Western imperial expansion.

Post-Gaza: A Moment of Revelation

This conference would not have taken place without the unprecedented brutality practiced by Israel in Gaza, and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. This massacre, which has embarrassed even traditional supporters of Israel in the West, has awakened the consciences of many Jews. In this context, voices from the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors emerged, rejecting this colonial project in the name of morals and history. Zionism has been revealed to a new generation of Jews, not only as a colonial movement but also as an existential threat to human values, and to the Jews themselves.

Towards a Universal Liberation Front

The conference participants emphasized that their struggle is not limited to opposing Zionism alone but extends to include the Western governments complicit with it, and the elites supporting this colonial system in Palestine. The participants recalled the model of Jewish-Muslim coexistence in Andalusia and the experience of living together in Arab countries as a source of inspiration for a post-Zionist vision: a democratic entity fair to all its inhabitants, from the river to the sea.

The final statement stressed the necessity of building an international political movement against Zionism, liberating Palestinians and Jews from this project, and challenging the official narratives imposed in the West. It also called for encouraging the hesitant Jews and non-Jews, deterred by repression and censorship campaigns, to engage in this humanitarian struggle.

The Road is Long… But There is No Turning Back

Despite the challenges, what was witnessed at the Vienna conference is not a fleeting event, but a foundational milestone in a deeper transformation occurring in global public opinion. The decline in the prestige of Zionism in the West, the unprecedented erosion of Israel's status, and the formation of a global liberation movement resisting organized injustice – whether in Palestine or elsewhere – all represent a historic opportunity, despite all the pains.

It has become clear that it is no longer possible to "whitewash" Zionism or absolve it from its crimes. It will become, along with Israel, a moral burden on humanity. This development may currently partially compensate for the absence or weakness of anti-Zionist voices within Israel, which have chosen silence or retreat under the weight of repression and campaigns of treason. The anti-Zionist movement that is forming today is on a long and arduous path, but it has begun and will not retreat, carrying a promise of a free and just human future for Palestine and the world.