Persecution of Jewish people has occurred in Europe for thousands of years. Zionism, the belief that the Jewish people should have a homeland, arose in the nineteenth century. The movement resulted in the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. How is the persecution of Jews related to Zionism and the creation of Israel?

A. Many European governments openly supported Zionist activists. They believed they could forcefully deport Jewish people to a Jewish state with little international outcry.

B. Many European governments openly supported Zionist beliefs. They believed that a Jewish state would be a strong trading partner that would help spread Jewish values to other nations.

C. Jewish people were often persecuted, in part, because they were a minority population in many countries. Zionists worked to create a Jewish state where Jewish people would be the majority.

D. Jewish people were often persecuted, in part, because they held Zionist beliefs. Europeans believed that if all jews emigrated to a Jewish state then Jewish people would no longer be persecuted.