it was as if a hurricane hit the lands, one after another, for 500 years

The Portuguese were first to master long-range ocean-going sea travel. During the first half of the fifteenth century they started going past the Iberian Peninsula south toward the western coast of Africa. In 1434, Gil Eanes passed Cape Bojador, south of Morocco. The trip marked the beginning of the Portuguese exploration of Africa. Before this event very little was known in Europe about what lay beyond the cape. In 1441–1444, Portuguese traders first captured Africans on the Atlantic coast of Africa (in what is today Mauritania), taking their captives to slavery in Europe. In 1448 they established a fort for the slave trade at the Bay of Arguin. Some years before, the first African gold had been brought to Portugal. It was an enticement for conquest and exploitation. In the 1470s, Portuguese trading ships reached the Gold Coast and they captured Tangier. In 1483, Diogo Cão reached and explored the Congo River.

During the next 500 years the Europeans went all over the place conquering, exploiting, and enslaving. The lands were looted and decimated. Overpopulation was encouraged to provide labor.

During the twentieth century the hurricane subsided, but recovery from it will take a very long time.

In reference to the lands they were colonizing the Europeans said: The indigenes are going to be better off for it; we’re going to be bringing them great stuff … science, technology, development, growth, progress, democracy, monotheism, medicine, commerce, literacy, and general enlightenment.

[As Europeans, many of the Zionists really thought their colonization was going to ultimately be beneficial for the Palestinians.]