Canaanism

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Canaanism was a cultural and ideological movement founded in 1939, reaching its peak among the Jews of Mandatory Palestine during the 1940s. It has had a significant effect on the course of Israeli art, literature and spiritual and political thought. Its adherents were called Canaanites (Hebrew: כנענים). The movement's original name was the Council for the Coalition of Hebrew Youth (הוועד לגיבוש הנוער העברי) or less formally, the Young Hebrews; Canaanism was originally a pejorative term. It came out of Revisionist Zionism and had roots in European extreme right-wing movements, particularly Italian fascism. Most of its members were former members of the Irgun or Lehi. Canaanism never had more than around two dozen registered members, but because most of them were influential intellectuals and artists, the movement had an influence which went far beyond its size. Its members believed that much of the Middle East had been a Hebrew-speaking civilization in antiquity. Ron Kuzar says they hoped...

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