Territorial Rights and the Debate About the Morality of Zionism

This paper explores the view that, beyond particular wrongs committed by Zionism, the Zionist project was itself inherently wrong. I argue that the most plausible basis for this claim is the contention that Zionism disrespected the territorial rights of the local Arab population. By examining leading contemporary theories of territorial rights – specifically those of Miller Moore and Stilz – I demonstrate that none provide a strong foundation for this view. At the onset of Zionist immigration, the Arabs of Palestine did not meet the criteria required to possess territorial rights under these theoretical frameworks.