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June 14, 1999
1 Tamuz 5759
Jerusalem

Sallai Meridor Chairman of the World Zionist Organization: "The better it will be for the Arabs, the better it will be for the Jews".

Thus stated today Sallai Meridor, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, in his address to the Zionist General Council in Jerusalem. Meridor called for an improvement in the life of Israel’s Arabs, and welcomed the progress towards formulating a constitution for Israel. Similarly, Meridor responded to calls to dismantle the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Today, June 14th the Zionist General Council XXXIII/3 session convened at the Hyatt Hotel on Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem and unanimously ratified the election of Sallai Meridor as Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, and Chaim Chesler as Treasurer.

In his address before the Council, Meridor welcomed progress towards creating a constitution for Israel, and called for improved conditions for Israel’s Arabs. The Chairman of the WZO noted that the constitution must deal with several basic issues, among them: the relations between Arabs and Jews; Israel as the state for all Jews; the status of the Jewish people living outside of Israel; significance of Israel as a Jewish State; the responsibility of Israel towards the Jewish People.

Recent criticism of the Jewish Agency also received a response from Meridor: "If the remarks made about the irrelevance of the Jewish Agency for Israel come from the mouths of imbeciles or cynics, they are not worthy of a response, if they come from the mouths of those who do not know how to ask, then we have to explain to them about the Zionist Idea", said Meridor. "We are a movement of the Jewish People, not a movement of the elite, we are a democratic movement, a movement of Fulfillment and a Movement that believes", stressed the JAFI Chairman.

Meridor stressed that this year immigration from Russia had doubled as compared with last year. However, Meridor feels that there are fewer and fewer Jews immigrating from the West, and therefore Israel has to be attractive in order to draw immigration. In Meridor’s opinion Israel must provide basic conditions not only in the economic field or in the peace process, but also to be attractive as a free democratic state with Jewish values.

Meridor stated that the State of Israel must find a way to not only be a country with a Jewish Majority, but a country with a majority of World Jewry; a country that is connected to the rest of world and that does not stand alone; a nation that contributes, that is active, and that has an influence on the world. Meridor ended his address saying: "I wish us success into the next century, just as we have succeeded in the 20th century".

The new Treasurer of the World Zionist Organization Chaim Chesler, mentioned in his speech the struggle which he conducted along with others in the Zionist Movement on behalf of the Jews of Syria. A struggle which resulted in the Jewish community of Syria being able to leave and come to Israel. Chesler also mentioned the struggle on behalf of the Jews of the Former Soviet Union, and stated that the Zionist movement will continue to struggle for the freedom of the Jews of Iran. Similarly, Chesler called for immigration from the west: "We must relate to immigration from North America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and Latin America just as we relate to immigration from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union".

Tuesday June 15th program at the Hyatt Hotel in Jerusalem includes:

  • 08:30-09:30 Plenary on the subject of the Strategic Planning Process of the Jewish Agency for Israel towards the 21st Century. Speakers: Sallai Meridor, Chairman WZO and JAFI Executive, and Paula Edelstein, Co-chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.
  • 13:00 luncheon with President Ezer Weizman
  • 15:30 Address by acting Chairman of the Likud, Foreign Minister, Ariel Sharon.
  • 20:00 Panel with Members of Knesset on the subject "Towards the Second Century of the Zionist Movement"
    • Naomi Blumenthal -Likud
    • Ophir Pine-Paz -One Israel
    • Dalia Rabin-Pilosof -Center Party
    • Eliezer Sandberg -Shinui
    • Dr. Marina Solodkin -Yisrael Ba’aliya
    • Avshalom Vilan -Meretz

For press credentials please contact the ZGC press room at the Hyatt Hotel, Room 440 Tel: 972-2-5818798/531/264. Fax: 972-2-5818798.

For further information contact:

Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media, JAFI
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708
Mobile: 972-51-601706