{"id":215412,"date":"2020-10-23T07:31:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T07:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=215412"},"modified":"2020-10-26T08:01:16","modified_gmt":"2020-10-26T08:01:16","slug":"yes-there-is-a-world-zionist-congress-and-its-meeting-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=215412","title":{"rendered":"Yes, there is a World Zionist Congress \u2013 and it\u2019s meeting now"},"content":{"rendered":"

The average American often knows extremely little about Zionism, even though the Zionist movement has played a major role in the world \u2013 and in the U.S. itself \u2013 for over a century\u2026 <\/em><\/h4>\n

Some have the impression that \u2018world zionism\u2019 is an antisemitic conspiracy theory\u2026 even while the World Zionist Congress is in session, with 720 delegates from over 30 countries\u2026<\/em><\/h4>\n

And the WZC is just one of many international Zionist entities that work for Israel\u2026<\/em><\/h4>\n

Alison Weir \u2013 Israel-Palestine News Oct 21, 2020<\/strong><\/h1>\n

I\u2019m sometimes astounded at the fact that a major political movement over a century old is so little known among Americans \u2013 especially since it has had a momentous impact on the world in general and on the U.S. in particular, causing multiple wars, vast population displacement, and global instability.<\/span><\/p>\n

In my travels around the US, I\u2019ve found that most Americans know extremely little about Zionism. I would guess that the vast majority of Americans could not define the term (that was certainly my situation for most of my life), and that a great many may not have even heard of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

And among those who have heard the term, many may think it refers to some antisemitic conspiracy theory.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact is, however, that Zionism \u2013\u00a0according to the dictionary<\/strong><\/span>,<\/a> \u201ca worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state of Israel and that now supports the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland\u201d \u2013 is both very real and extremely significant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zionism succeeded in establishing the state of Israel in 1948 after decades of sometimes open and sometimes covert efforts. It promoted a successful, though extremely false, slogan \u2013 \u201ca land without a people for a people without a land\u201d \u2013 and succeeded in perpetrating one of the major hoaxes of the 20th century, in which victims (indigenous Palestinians) were designated aggressors, and aggressors (Zionist colonists) were portrayed as victims (as documented<\/strong><\/span><\/a> by<\/a> diverse<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>authors<\/strong><\/span>,<\/a> and perpetrated through the silencing of others<\/strong><\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

And today this movement contains numerous powerful international entities (see the list below), while remaining largely invisible to millions of citizens of the country that gives Israel massive amounts<\/a><\/strong><\/span> of money, shields<\/a><\/strong><\/span> Israel internationally, and has fought at least one war<\/strong> <\/a><\/span>\u00a0(against Iraq) on Israel\u2019s behalf.<\/span><\/p>\n

The dictionary definition captures only the simplest meaning of the word, but not its deep impact: how Israel was established and what supporting Israel today enables.<\/span><\/p>\n

As numerous historians have documented, Israel was established through a war of ethnic cleansing, in the words of a major Israeli historian<\/strong><\/span>,<\/a> in which approximately 750,000 men, women, and children were violently expelled. Hundreds of villages were destroyed and much of the indigenous population was displaced, their ancestral homes and land confiscated and the former owners made into penniless refugees.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Nakba when Palestine ethnic cleansed. Click to enlarge<\/p><\/div>\n

Today, in its pursuit of the Jewish identity mentioned in the definition, Israel continues to confiscate Palestinian land, actively discriminates<\/a><\/strong><\/span> against the remnants<\/a><\/strong><\/span> of the non-Jewish population that remain in the area, and holds the four and a half million people in the remaining portion of their land (the West Bank and Gaza), in two virtual prisons, their ability to leave and to return to their homes controlled by Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Palestinian villages are invaded daily<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, people terrorized and abducted, homes and crops are regularly destroyed; for over a year there was a weekly mass demonstration<\/a><\/strong><\/span> during which Israeli forces shot unarmed demonstrators every week. (To see these actions go here<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Zionist movement in the US \u2013 a century of activism<\/h2>\n

As I describe in my book<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, the Zionist movement in the U.S. began in the late 1800s and played a significant role in the events that led to the establishment of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today the pro-Israel lobby<\/a><\/strong><\/span> is probably the most powerful and pervasive special interest group in the U.S. Its members have diverse views and sometimes sharply disagree with one another on aspects of the issue, but all share one goal: support for Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Israel partisans have become extremely influential in both political parties and have obtained numerous US policies of support for Israel. Most recently, they are promoting bills to expend $19 million per day<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>on behalf of Israel; altogether, 90 bills for Israel have been introduced in the current Congress alone. In addition, there is also considerable evidence that Israel partisans were central in pushing the US into invading Iraq, and that many are similarly active in demonizing Iran. (See this<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, this<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, this<\/strong><\/span>,<\/a>\u00a0and this<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Conspiracy theory?<\/h2>\n

Since little of the above is known by the general American public (U.S. media rarely report any of this), some Americans are under the impression that even suggesting there is a \u201cworld zionist movement\u201d is an antisemitic conspiracy theory. (In fact, even discussing the Israel lobby in the U.S. can be dangerous to reputations and careers. For example, respected professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt were attacked as \u201cantisemitic\u201d for their scholarly work in detailing the power of the Israel lobby<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact is, however, that the World Zionist Organization has been in existence since the late 1800s, and this is just one of a number of international organizations that work on behalf of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, all of these are very public \u2013 if one knows where to look. Currently, the World Zionist Organization is holding its 38th Congress in an online format from Israel. The Congress is convened every five years.<\/span><\/p>\n

World Zionist Organization<\/h2>\n

While US mainstream media have largely failed to even mention this organization and event, it has been<\/strong><\/span><\/a> big news <\/a><\/strong><\/span>in the Israeli<\/a><\/strong><\/span> and Jewish-American<\/strong><\/span><\/a> press, with numerous stories leading up to the event. Below is an image from an article in the Jewish News of Northern California<\/em> entitled \u201cYour vote in Israel: Here are the Bay Area Jews running for the World Zionist Congress<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image featured on March 3, 2020 in the Jewish News of Northern California about candidates running for the World Zionist Congress. The caption was: \u201c2017 event in Jerusalem commemorating the 120th anniversary of the first World Zionist Congress. (Courtesy World Zionist Organization)\u201d (JWeekly)<\/p><\/div>\n

The World Zionist Organization was founded in 1897. It has an elaborate structure, including a World Zionist Congress<\/a><\/strong>, a Zionist General Council<\/a><\/strong>, a Zionist Executive<\/a><\/strong>, and a Zionist Supreme Court<\/a><\/strong>. It also has a department devoted to \u201crepatriation<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u201d \u2013 encouraging Jews to leave their birth countries and move to Israel \u2013 and lists numerous affiliates and partners around the world. The WZO allocates<\/a><\/strong><\/span> about a billion dollars a year to Jewish causes and is popularly known as the \u201cparliament of the Jewish people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday, the WZO convened its 38th Congress<\/strong><\/span>,<\/a> with 720 delegates and observers from over 30 countries participating in a three-day conference. Based in Israel as usual, this year\u2019s event is being held online because of the pandemic, and sessions are being synchronized with time zones in Israel, North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and South Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Israeli Jerusalem Post<\/em> newspaper reports<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>that during the Congress \u201celections will take place for the leadership positions of the National Institutions \u2013 the World Zionist Organization, Keren Kayemeth Le\u2019Israel (Jewish National Fund-JNF), and Keren Hayesod [aka United Israel Appeal<\/strong><\/span>: <\/a>\u00a0\u201cthe preeminent worldwide fundraising organization for Israel, which was established in London in 1920, to serve as the fundraising arm of the Jewish People and the Zionist Movement<\/em>].\u00a0Current issues on the world Jewish agenda will be deliberated\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Among the issues to be deliberated will be how to<\/a><\/strong><\/span> \u201callocate nearly $5 billion to Jewish organizations and programs in Israel and around the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The event is being live streamed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additional Zionist organizations:<\/h2>\n

The WZO is far from the only organization with \u201cZionist\u201d in its title. Among the others are:<\/span><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s International Zionist Organization (WIZO):<\/span><\/strong><\/a> founded in 1902, it currently has 250,000 members around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mizrachi,<\/span><\/a> the global Religious Zionist movement<\/span>:<\/a><\/strong> \u201cMizrachi is the global Religious Zionist movement, spreading Torat Eretz Yisrael across the world and strengthening the bond between the international Jewish community and the State of Israel.\u201d It was founded in 1902, is based in Jerusalem and has branches across the globe. It opposes the international movement supporting Palestinian rights known as BDS. It says the Mizrachi Global Summit<\/a><\/strong><\/span> was held on October 18th.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zionist Organization of America:<\/span><\/a><\/strong> \u201cFounded in 1897, the Zionist Organization of America (\u201cZOA\u201d) is the oldest pro-Israel organization in the United States.\u201d It has 25,000 members and chapters throughout the U.S.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hadassah, the Women\u2019s Zionist Organization of America:<\/span><\/a><\/strong> Over a century old, it says its vision is to \u201cstrengthen a connection to Israel.\u201d It says<\/strong><\/span><\/a> it is \u201cthe largest women\u2019s Zionist membership organization in the United States. It inspires a passion for and a commitment to its partnership with the land and the People of Israel.\u201d\u00a0 (Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a lifelong member<\/strong><\/span>.<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

American Zionist Movement:<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cAZM works to promote and defend Zionism in the United States; to deepen and expand the active relationship of the American Jewish Community to Zionism in a contemporary context; to facilitate dialogue and collaboration among Zionist organizations through and with the AZM; and to be the central hub for Zionist resources in America.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

(An interesting bit of history is that\u00a0\u201cZion\u201d was one of the names Zionist leaders considered<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0in 1948 for the new state, before they finally settled on the name \u201cIsrael.\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\n

Still more Zionist organizations<\/h2>\n

There are also a number of other major international organizations that work for Israel. Virtually all of these organizations have large staffs, elaborate structures, and multi-million dollar budgets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their websites provide an abundance of information about their global reach and diverse activities. Many openly state that they work to oppose the international movement to boycott Israel, which has been organized because of Israel\u2019s long documented human rights abuses<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. Known as \u201cBDS<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u201d (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions), the movement \u201cupholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Below is a partial list:<\/span><\/p>\n