I heard (from admittedly not necessarily a scholarly source) that they were blamed for it, but didn't actually carry it out.. and I got the impression from OME's post above, it was alluding to that. Of course, I have very little knowledge in this area so likely to be wrong. But even so, how many hundreds of years ago was it? Do we still blame today's Germans for the transgressions of two world wars?
Er.. not quite. Zionism started in the mid 1800s with the Jews legally buying up the land withg the intention of starting a country because of constant persecution in Europe, the Middle Wast and I think Northern Africa - but I have to check the latter. They accelerated their plans after WW2. Note, they started buying up the land.. of a non state (learned that on this forum - previously I thought Palestine was a state.. And I have since learned there is no "P" in teh Arabic language, which is kinda interesting).. not a simple colonisation - but there was some colonisation no doubt.
BTW, other countries have been created fromm conflict since WWII, even in Europe, thjrough ejection of peoples.. but nary get a mention and at the time there wan't too much of a protest. So other people were living in these countries, as well. And of course, the Zionists today claim that Judea - the original name of part of the area is the home of the Jews they were forcibly ejected from. We have forcibly ejected Aboriginals from their traditional lands, but we aren't in a hurry to give it back lock stock and barrel.
BTW, I have serious doubts this is a territorialk conflict. We talk about international lawm, but the 1947 UN security resolution - you know - international law - was rejected by the Arabs - 5 states in fact. They lost, and lost land, They colntinued to fight - and lost - and as a result lost more land.
In I think it was 1996, Israel offered Gaza and 96% of the West Bank. Arafat played along until the last minute and then rejected it. It is not about territory..
This seems more like a religious thing. Check sectiuon 7 of the Hamas Charter or whatever it was called. All will be revealed.