Quotations: Early Zionist leaders on the fulfillment of Zionism

"We shall try to spirit the penniless population across the border procuring employment for them in the transit countries while denying any employment in our country. Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discretely and circumspectly." (Raphael Patai, The Complete Diaries of Theodor Herzl)

~Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionism, 1897

"We must expel the Arabs and take their places and if we have to use force to guarantee our own right to settle in those places-then we have force at our disposal." (Nur Masalha, Expulsion of Palestinians)

~ David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding father and first prime minister, 1937

"In Palestine we do not propose to go through the form of consulting the wishes of the present inhabitants … The four great powers are committed to Zionism and Zionism, be right or wrong, good or bad, is rooted in age-long tradition, in present needs, in future hopes, of far profounder import than the desires and prejudices of the 700,000 Arabs who now inhabit the ancient land." (Edward Said, The Question of Palestine)

~Lord Balfour, British Foreign Secretary, author of the Balfour Declaration, promising a “homeland for the Jews” in Palestine, 1919

"Zionist colonization, even the most restricted, must either be terminated or carried out in defiance of the native population." (Valdimir Jabotinsky, The Iron Wall: We and the Arabs)

~Valdimir Jabotinsky, founder of revisionist Zionism, 1923

"I support compulsory transfer. I do not see in it anything immoral … The Arabs will have to go, but one needs an opportune moment for making it happen, such as a war." (Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine)

~ David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding father and first prime minister, 1937