For the first time in history, an Arab served as co-chairman of a Zionist Congress.
His name is Toufik Boulus, and he is 11 years old and lives in Jaffa. The chairman who appointed him is Yisrael Niv of Kibbutz Sarid, also 11.
The event was the third Zionist Congress organized by Children for Zionism, held at the Weizmann School in Jaffa last Thursday.
Participants discussed the administered territories, immigration and the army. As at adult conclaves of this kind, no consensus was reached on some issues.
But one decision was reached. Each participant would begin writing to a child in the diaspora whose parents are yordim — Israelis who emigrated to live abroad.
Boulus, who presided at the afternoon session, said, “I am participating so I can tell people what Arabs are. A lot of Jews hate Arabs, but they don’t understand. They think we all throw rocks.
Niv said at the close of the congress, “It’s not so important what we decide. Simply that we meet is a big enough accomplishment.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
