Belman. I am in shock to see that the WZO has been taken over by the J Street mentatily. In essence this resolution puts the onus on Israel to appease the US. The resolution goes so far as to support the continuation of the freeze.
Do these delegates really believe that a two state solution can be agreed upon, can be made to work and will bring peace.
Far right storms stage and shuts down Congress
Posted by: Hadar Susskind | June 17th, 2010 11:28 am
How did the World Zionist Congress vote to support a settlement freeze, endorse a two-state solution, and call for the Israeli government to repair relations with the American government — sparking right-wing protests that effectively ended the Congress’ deliberation?
How is it that a body that has been marred by relative obscurity in recent years appears to have been the site of the vital conversation over the future of Israel as a Jewish, democratic home in all its rambunctious glory?
And how did it come that I, Vice President of Policy and Strategy at J Street and a veteran of the Israeli army, found myself chairing the Settlement Committee at the World Zionist Congress?
When J Street’s delegation of staffers and lay leaders landed in Israel just over a week ago to join the Congress, we hoped to add J Street’s voices to the chorus of over 400 delegates to the World Zionist Congress. What we experienced demonstrated the seriousness of the battle we have in front of us to finally freeze the settlements, end the occupation, and achieve a two-state solution.
We had hoped that the storied history of the Congress would be our guide. Founded in 1897 by its first President, Theodore Herzl, the Congress was where all the various Zionist streams would come to respectfully debate, converse, and argue over the future of the Zionist project, both before and after the founding of the State of Israel.
Originally asked to serve as Vice Chair of the Settlement Committee at the Congress, I was promoted to the role of Chair when the previous Chair of the Committee (who was part of Avigdor Lieberman’s party’s delegation) quit when confronted with a much broader range of views in the room than he and his allies on the right had expected. He took a number of his political associates with him.
Despite the rancor that resulted in the Chair’s departure, what followed adhered to the best ideals of what Theodore Herzl had hoped the Congress would represent — a full and reasoned conversation about how to carry out our people’s dream for a state of our own in our historic homeland.
With progressive delegates outnumbering those representing pro-occupation parties, the committee could have easily descended further into the political abyss by ramming through resolutions and not taking into account the deeply held views of all in the room. We took a different tack, recognizing that chairing this committee was an opportunity to demonstrate to the Congress and the Committee that it was possible to have a serious, fact-based, and frank discussion on these incredibly contentious issues.
At the end of more than 4 straight hours of such discussion, numerous members of the committee – from the left and the right – told me that they found the committee proceedings to be both serious and fair.
The next day, these resolutions were brought in front of the entire Congress — but we only got through a single vote on Settlement Committee resolutions before all hell broke loose.
The Congress voted overwhelmingly, about 3 to 1, to pass that lone resolution (full text below). Immediately after its passage, a group from the right-wing parties took the stage. Ignoring calls to sit down and refusing to allow the democratic procedure to continue, they belted HaTikva as loud as they could — even though the resolution that was just passed by the World Zionist Congress was, in my view, the fulfillment of the Zionist dream of a democratic, Jewish Israel far more than their anti-democratic protest.
Two young Australians from opposing political perspectives then took the stage to rightly excoriate the protesters for not living up to Herlz’s hopes for the Congress. The Meretz delegation head Dror Morag also had a few choice words for the protest that inspired a standing ovation from the silenced majority of the Congress.
The Resolutions Committee then decided to halt the proceedings and refer all remaining resolutions to a later meeting of the Executive Committee (Vaad haPoel).
But the vote took place and the vote stands. The World Zionist Congress is on record supporting a two-state solution and the settlement freeze, and calling for a stabilization of the relationship with the American government.
J Street was proud to have supported and helped pass out of committee a number of resolutions that represent our viewpoints on the settlement project — including sending them all to the full Congress for consideration where, unfortunately, only a single resolution was voted upon.
Our participation has helped focus the Congress’ conversation over the future of the Zionist project and the necessity of the immediate achievement of a two-state solution. We’re already planning for next time.
RESOLUTION TEXT
Whereas the Government of Israel finds itself in a process of deteriorating relations with the American Government; and
Whereas Israel-US relations are important to the future of the State of Israel and to its security; and
Whereas these relations are critical in maintaining a warm relationship with Jewish communities in the United States,
The Zionist Congress resolves:
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* To call upon the Government of Israel to stabilize the relationship with the American government;
* The Zionist Congress calls upon the Government of Israel to act in the spirit of the Bar Ilan Speech- in which Prime Minister Netanyahu called for two states for two peoples– in order to maintain the democratic and Zionist character of the State of Israel;
* To support the Prime Minister in his decision to freeze construction in the Territories;
* The Zionist Congress calls upon the Prime Minister to continue his activity of this nature.
Thank you for that – This is what it’s all about!
Uncle, no question. It is the right thing to do.
The Mitzva of Military Service
Mazal Tov.
We are blessed.
At the center of that blessing is the idea that no war may be fought without two types of “soldiers” in the fight: those who fight with weapons and those who fight with prayer. We learn this important lesson in Exodus 17: 11, when the war against Amalek cannot succeed without Moshe’s blessing:
However, the Torah also makes clear that serving to protect and defend the people of Israel is equated with loyalty to G-d. For example, when the tribes of Gad, Reuven and half of Menashe wanted to settle east of the Jordan river, Moshe rebukes them because he thinks they are trying to avoid military service:
Moshe answered the descendants of Gad and Reuven saying: shall your brothers go to war while you remain here? (Numbers 32:6).
He goes on to equate the possible avoidance of military service with turning against G-d. He accuses them of being no better than the spies who forced the people to wander for 40 years in the desert:
Moshe is not satisfied until he extracts a promise from the tribes of Gad, Reuven and half of Menashe that they will serve in war against Israel’s enemies.
Unfortunately, many of our current scholars have remembered the lesson that Israel needs scholars, and have forgotten the lesson that failing to defend our nation is equal to the sin of the spies.
Right now, over 50,000 students are exempt from military service—an unprecedented number and one clearly out of sync with the importance of military service in the history of our Nation.
Would these be the same atheist nominal Jews like Olmert’s kids? Because from where I’m standing I don’t see much difference. There are those within each group that refuse to serve and defend. My son begins service in the IDF the end of this August, so I’m with you on that subject, however, it’s not ALL from each group. The point I tried to make with you is that we need all of us to make this work. As far as your take on Yaakov not pleasing Hashem with his actions, I think this situation mirrors that completely.
Ultimately, G-d & the Torah are what is going to see us through. We do have to perform the physical things necessary for our survival though, along with Torah, Tefillah & Tzedakah.
May those that refuse to protect the Jewish people along with those that take active steps to harm the Jewish people both be given a spirit of understanding from Hashem and join all of us together.
Yamit,
What do I think, Yamit? Your conclusions are precipitated. Like you, I recognise the fact that it was the Hilonim and not the Datiim who built the Land, and this because the Hilonim understood that the Land is built by your hands and by prayers. The Datiim did not have a part in the building of the Land because they did not want to have a part. So G-d made the deal with the ones who were willing to participate. In this context, the Amida prayer states:
“And strengthen our eyes when You come back to Zion”
i.e. the Sages and the Prohets who composed this prayer knew that the Datiim of the End of Times would not recognise the hour!!! But the Hilonim recognised the hour and they have great merits.
However, the Hilonim had eventually to fail since intuition is not enough to endure on the long term. For that you need inner solidity. And the only inner solidity is Tora. That’s what I ment by saying “there’s no Zionism than Tora”: the Hilonim sarted well but necessarily failed since they have no inner truth
Samuel,
the Babylonian Talmud relates that once a Babynonian Rabbi came to Eretz Yisrael and intended to start there an halakhic discussion with a Rabbi from Eretz Yisrael. Rather than to engage in a discussion with the Babylonian Sage, the Rabbi from Eretz Yisrael told him:
“You are saying things of darkness since you come from a place of darkness”
My dear, Samuel, it is not the hopeless lost US Jews who will help us, but rather we will evevtually save your from complete perdition. But you will probably lose all your material goods and will be happy if you can flee to Eretz Yisrael with the bare cloths on your body.
May G-d save you from the Goyim and the devastating Galut.
Non Jews should support Israel because it stands for a Universal truth; support of basic human dignity and because it’s the right thing to do.
I am neither shocked nor surprised to read about the development documented by Ted.
Way back in 2003, I posted an article entitled “Edwin Montagu. Bruno Kreisky. Joe Lieberman?” at IsraPundit,
http://israpundit.blogspot.com/2003/02/edwin-montagu.html
which went into the bizarre phenomenon of Jews supporting Israel’s enemies. Since then, this phenomenon has become ubiquitous: recall J-street (as in Jihad Street) and Rahm Quisling Emanuel.
I am particularly “neither shocked nor surprise” when this phenomenon is demonstrated by US Jews. Recall how this group and its leaders acted during WW II, when the Holocaust became known to all and FDR refused to do as little as bomb the rail lines to Auschwitz. At FDR’s table were Henry Morgenthau and Rabbi Wise, and their contribution to the Jewish people was to ensure that the Holocaust be kept quiet.
Observing these and related facts, I have concluded that it is the sacred duty of non-Jews to come to Israel’s rescue. Aznar’s recent article in The Times is a step in this direction.
Herzl’s zionism:
Herzl was a smart assimilated Austrio-German Jew. He saw that the fanatic Jew-hatred of the european christians, namely, the germans, latins, poles and russians, was growing ever stronger as the Jews reminded them by their mere existence that they might not be as great as they thought. Herzl anticipated hitler’s arrival: that the european christians would reach a point where endless persecution of the Jews was no longer enough, and that they would have to kill them once and for all.
Herzl’s idea was to rescue the Jews from the clutches of the goyim by gathering them up in Jewish Israel. There, they could be a “normal” people living in a “normal european-type” nation. He was no communist, and probably not particularly socialist. After his death, Israel was developed by a group of Jews who believed in a “Jewish” nation, but an atheistic communist one, one that would develope in isolation until the goyim became as “enlightened” as they were.
What went wrong? If you haven’t noticed, it’s that goyim remain goyim, whether they are pagans, christians, or liberals. It hasn’t been enough for the european christians that they killed most of their Jews, and sent the few remaining ones fleeing in horror and desperation to Israel. Now, the fact that Jews continue to exist in Israel, and have the khutzpa to breath the same air as the goyim outside of Israel, is still too much for them, and they have now allied with the muslims and are planning to kill the six million Israeli Jews to add to the six million european Jews.
I hope the Israeli Jews are smart enough not to allow this. And unfortunately, it looks like in the end, my fellow American Jews will help the Israeli Jews as little as they helped the european Jews.
Zionism wass borne through Communism when Theadore Herzl established Palestine for the Jews of Russia and the other Baltic states; however, soon after Israel became a real state did the Jews in Israel become capitalists. There has always been an element of the Jewish society who wish to stay with the old ways and dispise the new country. Many of these are the Haredim. Like Yamit says, not all Israel lovers are religious, but most would stand up and deliver for her.
You can’t have the latter without the former.
You make all the right arguments until you come face to face with why you are still there and not here. I sympathize with your inner conflict.
A Holy People living in a Holy Land under our Holy Torah:
The Jews taught this saying to muhammad before he killed them. He altered it so that the saudis now proclaim: a holy muslim people living in a holy muslim land under our holy koran. Obama’s version is: a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic people living in a post-nationalistic land under the one world government. (And have you noticed how the muslims and Obama are now obsessed with destroying Jewish Israel?)
These are some of the choices which HaShem gives the Jews so that they may actively and consciously and freely make an actual choice.
Jewish Israel is still a work in progress. It is in the process of evolving for the better (unike America, which is in irreversible decline).
The english word redemption is a translation of the Hebrew “ga-al”. The original meaning is that when you were captured and enslaved by an evil enemy, your friends would pay that enemy a ransom in return for your safe release and homecoming.
The Jewish people is founded on an idea which is the opposite of every idea known to the ancient world. We were slaves in Egypt, helpless losers without hope, and doomed. Then the Creator of the Universe redeemed us and made us His Special People and gave us His Laws of True Life, the Holy Torah, so that we may live lives of holiness in the holy land which He gave us. With these explicit understandings: “The Children of Israel are now my slaves, the slaves whom I have taken out of Egypt. And you shall be holy, for I am Holy.”
This is the only viewpoint which is truly valid for a Jew. The children of Israel went from abject slavery and evolved into a Holy Nation. The current Jewish State of Israel is evolving from a meaningless, valueless nation into the Land where the Third Temple will be built.
The only true and valid Zionism is Torah. And may the Torah State emerge soon in our days.
(I grew up in a world where I was told repeatedly that Judaism is a primitive man-made superstition which is now obsolete, and we should all now be rational, enlightened liberals. I used my G-d given Jewish kopf to study the matter intensely. And the conclusion is clear: it is the liberals who are irrational, and they are engaged in relentless brainwashing. This liberal form of brainwashing is similar to the nazi form of brainwashing which “scientifically” found white german christians to be “superior” and “mongrel” Jews inferior.
Judaism: true then, true now, and true forever. There is only one reason for the miraculous survival of the Jewish people in the face of unrelenting persecution and hatred by the goyim: it is the building of the Third Temple, and not Herzl’s altneuland.)
Jacob did not please Hashem in this act because he was afraid of Esav. He had told Jacob not to be afraid yet Jacob did fear Esav. It was a cowardly act and a Hilul Hashem.
Read again what I wrote in the first paragraph.
I would gladly exchange 1 million atheist nominal Jews from America for all of our Haredim.
I hate parasitic cowards.
Pretty soon, between JStreet, German Jews, American Liberal Jews, etc Jews, there will be more Jews AGAINST the existence of Israel than for it!!!! So much for the ideal of Israel being a safe harbour for Jews all over the world, it has become (in their eyes)their main source of threat and danger.
And the only Jews who, as a group, know better, the Torah inclined Jews, are too busy and to happy in New York, Baltimore, Cleveland, NJ to ever read Yamits entry re the importance of the Mitzvah of living in Israel. The cholent is tasty and that’s what matters. Israel you ask???? maybe as a theory while you shlof in Shabbos!
How sad.
True enough – that doesn’t mean, however, that we won’t complete the process. When Yaakov approach Esau after leaving Lavan, he sent his handmaidens & their children first, then Leah and her children, then Rachel and hers. Hashem wanted the secular to have the merit of working towards the creation of the State and its formation. The fact that the religious were not a part of this process does not preclude them from having a major impact on its successful conclusion now. AND, even though it seems impossible sometimes, it doesn’t mean that we won’t all come together. We can and we will, G-d willing.
Zionism was meant to be the Jewish liberation movement.
The very concept “liberation movement” includes a hidden contradiction: the term “liberation” is modern, we translated it into Hebrew, took it from other peoples. The Jews gave the world the concept “redemption” (“the redemption of Israel,” personified by the “Messiah”). Over the past few years, when we began relating to redemption from a practical point of view, we failed to call it redemption; instead, we spoke of a national movement, or a revival, and so forth, which we translated into Hebrew. But if a “Hebrew liberation movement” is really Hebrew, it must be called a “redemption movement.” This term carries with it obligations totally different from those on which Zionism, which really is a liberation movement, is based.
Tar Yag who built and developed the modern State and it’s modern infrastructure? It wasn’t those who thought like you. Who built the IDF into a potent military force? Not those who think like you. What ever exists within the modern state of Israel that is positive and a source of pride to most Jews was not created nurtured and developed by those like you.
Pssst, don’t anyone tell her but Hezl’s dream has become a reality some 62 years of reality in fact. Ms Hardar, was probably serving in the army of Martians,in another world.
do not be shocked, Ted, the J Street mentatlity is an inevitable consequence of Jewish atheism. There’s no Zionism but Tora!
Since it was the Obama administration which created the rift, it is up to them to repair relations.
The WZC is a vestigial organ of the Late Nahmum Goldman. It is a self serving organization for a few wannabes.
They are neither a world organization or Zionist.
Ignoring them is the best option.
George Soros’ operatives finagled a resolution encouraging Israeli Jews to commit suicide. Big whup. Print the resolution on toilet paper and let me buy a few rolls. Who cares about the World Zionist Congress? We already knew that lefty Israelis and J Street can’t stand Israel. Laugh in their faces. Big victory for you, Hadar Susskind. Hope it compensates for the fact that nine of your allies got whacked on the terror flotilla. Israel is going to lay down and die because of Hadar Susskind? I think not.
I am NOT a Zionist.