The key figure in the founding of the modern Zionist movement was Theodor Herzl. In the late 19th century, Herzl advocated for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in response to rising anti-Semitism in Europe. He convened the first Zionist Congress in 1897, where he promoted the idea of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine. Herzl's efforts laid the groundwork for political Zionism and mobilized support for Jewish migration and settlement initiatives. His vision provided the ideological foundation for the eventual establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.