June 19, 2001
28 Sivan, 5761
Kibbutz Dorot35,000 Immigrants Have Come to Israel Since the Outbreak of Violence. World's Three Hundred Top Zionists Tour Negev and Gaza Confrontation Line. Zionist General Council Convenes in Solidarity with Israel.
"Thirty-five thousand immigrants have come to Israel since the outbreak of the violence," revealed Sallai Meridor, Chairman of the Zionist Executive of and the Executive of the Jewish Agency. He was speaking at the opening session of the Zionist General Council, the World Zionist Organization's legislature, which convened at the western Negev Kibbutz Dorot. "This is the Jewish People's answer to adversity," Meridor said. The opening session of the Zionist General Council was held at Kibbutz Dorot rather than the usual venue of Jerusalem, in a salute to the Negev and Israeli villages and Kibbutzim along the confrontation line.
Prior to the opening session, the delegates toured confrontation-line villages and Kibbutzim. At the session Mr. Sallai Meridor revealed that despite the Intifada violence, 5,000 adults have visited Israel on solidarity tours and 20,000 youths have come to Israel for long and short-term study programs. During the day, the delegates learned first-hand of the western Negev's achievements in immigrant absorption, education, agriculture, high-tech and quality of life. The opening session was presided over by Zionist General Council Chairman, Dr. Yitzhak Chen, and greetings were given by Mr. Sallai Meridor, as well as by Mr. Chaim Chesler, WZO and Jewish Agency Treasurer, Mr.Shai Hermesh,Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council Head, and Advocate Eli Moyal, Mayor of the Municipality of Sderot. Delegates were treated to an artistic program by youth and adult ensembles.
Three hundred of the world's leading Zionists are attending the Thirty-third Zionist General Council. Most have come from abroad. These include representatives of organizations and the different streams of Judaism. Throughout this week the Zionist General Council will continue its meetings in Jerusalem's Hyatt Hotel. On the agenda will be such issues as the involvement of youth and students and young leaders; a proposal for the restructuring of the Jewish Agency (to strengthen the Zionist movement and Jewish Agency by including leading figures without political affiliation on the Agency’sBoard of Governors and Assembly); Aliyah as a key to Jewish survival; the Hebrew language; and the Zionist vision and ideology, in preparation for the Zionist Congress, which will convene in 2002.
The Zionist General Council, comprised of 232 delegates, meets once a year as the WZO's legislature, between sessions of the Zionist Congress, the organization's highest legislative body, which convenes once every four years. ZGC delegates comprise 50% of the Jewish Agency's Assembly, which will convene in Jerusalem immediately following the ZGC, Saturday night, June 23rd at the Hyatt Hotel. Some 1,000 Jewish leaders will participate in these manifestations of solidarity.
For additional information, contact the office of Spokesperson of the WZO and Jewish Agency:
Yehuda Weinraub
Mobile: 972-55-284805Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media JAFI
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708
Mobile: 972-51-601706