Editing Zionism (section)

==== Hebraization of names ====
{{main|Hebraization of surnames}}
As part of the effort to consolidate its new ownership over the land it had taken over in the 1948 war, the Israeli state worked towards "erasing all traces of its former owners".{{sfn|Shapira|2014|p=248}} The project of "Hebraization" of the map, for which the JNF Naming Committee was established,{{sfn|Masalha|2012|loc=The Zionist Superimposing of Hebrew Toponymy}} aimed to replace what remained of the Arab towns and villages with newly named Israeli settlements. These names were often based on the Arab names but with a "Hebrew pronunciation" or based on old Hebrew biblical names.{{sfn|Shapira|2014|p=248}} This effort also sought to demonstrate continuous Jewish ownership over the land to ancient times.{{sfn|Shapira|2014|p=248}} 

Prior to 1948, the Zionist movement had limited authority over the use of place names in Palestine. After 1948, the Zionist movement systematically eliminated mention of "Palestine" from the names of its organizations; for example, the [[Jewish Agency for Palestine]], which played a critical role in the founding of the Israeli state in 1948 was renamed to the "Jewish Agency for Israel".{{sfn|Masalha|2012}}{{page needed|date=October 2024}}