Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Zionists?

No, they are not. Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christians who base their beliefs on the Scriptures. While some religions teach that the gathering of Jews in Palestine is related to Scriptural prophecy, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not hold this view. They do not believe that this political development was specifically foretold in the Scriptures. In fact, the Scriptures do not promote any one human government or exalt one ethnic group or people over another. The Watchtower, the official magazine of Jehovah’s Witnesses, has unequivocally stated: “There [is] no Scriptural support for political Zionism.”

The Encyclopædia Britannica describes Zionism as a “Jewish nationalist movement that has had as its goal the creation and support of a Jewish national state in Palestine.” Its roots are both religious and political. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not advocate Zionism as a religious doctrine, and they are completely neutral toward political Zionism.

The organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses is entirely religious and does not advocate any political arrangement, which would include Zionism. The political neutrality of Jehovah’s Witnesses has been well documented, and in some lands the Witnesses have suffered severe persecution rather than compromise that neutrality. We are convinced that only God’s heavenly Kingdom will bring lasting peace to this earth; no human government or movement can accomplish this.

A core tenet of the religious beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses, regardless of where they live, is obedience to the laws of secular governments. They do not rebel against governmental authorities or participate in armed conflict.