Much Ado about Little: Ahad Ha'am's ?Truth from Eretz Yisrael? Zionism and the Arabs

Abstract

T 1891 ARTICLE EMETM'ERETZ YISRAEL [Truth from Eretz Israel] by Ahad Ha'am (Asher Ginzberg, 1856-1927) is one of early Zionism's mostcited references. It is regarded as milestone in Zionist thought and in Ahad Ha'am's own role in movement, and even, more notably, as first serious analysis of the Arab issue, which was eventually to dominate history of Zionism and of state of Israel. Remarkably, it appears that no full English translation has previously been published. What follows is complete and original translation of from Eretz Israel as published in Ahad Ha'am's collected writings.' Truth originally appeared as series of articles in Hebrew daily newspaper Hamelitz (St. Petersburg), 13-24 Sivan, 5651 (19-30 June 1891), following Ahad Ha'am's first visit to Eretz Israel,2 26 February-17 May 1891. was very early in Ahad Ha'am's career as one of Zionism's most influential thinkers. His first important publication, article This Is Not Way, had appeared only two years earlier in same newspaper, and established him as severe critic of prevailing mode of settlement during first decade of Zionist (or proto-Zionist) activity.3 In his view, Return to Zion that began in 1882 was premature, disorganized, and inadequately conceived. His report of his 1891 trip belongs, first and foremost, to general thrust of critique first laid out two years earlier. Above all, in his view, movement needed unity, better organization, better leadership, better preparation (both morally and materially), and application of intelligence in both senses of word; what he found in ancestral land was movement that, having developed from numerous centers at grass roots level, consequently lacked any central direction: a convulsion of withered limbs.