Zionists do not identify as religiously Jewish but as racially Jewish.

To Zionists, Jews are not the chosen people of god because of their religion, but because they are racially superior. You might notice that declaring ones own race the superior one was somewhat of a common trope in the time period.

This is why surprising to many, the founder of Zionism in 1896 Theodor Herzl, was an Atheist. It also explains the famous quote from Ilan Pappe;

“Most Zionists don’t believe that God exists, but they do believe that he promised them Palestine”