Canadian Zionist Leader Calls for Restructuring of the WZO

Dr. Leon Kronitz, executive vice president of the Canadian Zionist Federation, returned from the recent 30th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem convinced that there must be a clear division between Israeli politics and Zionist ideology, if the Zionist movement is to survive.

“There is no need and no reason for purely Israeli politics to dominate world Zionist gatherings as was the case at the last Congress in Jerusalem.” Kronitz told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in an interview here. He proposed a fundamental re-structuring of the World Zionist Organization in which diaspora Jewry would be involved with matters pertaining to Jewish life outside Israel, such as Jewish education, youth activities, Zionist and Israel information and the promotion of the centrality of Israel in Jewish life.

WORLD CONCLAVE IN WASHINGTON

Such matters as new settlements should remain the prerogative of the Israel government, the Knesset and the political parties in Israel, Kronitz said. “I called an international conference to be held at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Washington February 3 at which leading Zionists from many countries around the world will participate to map plans for the implementation of this program,” Kronitz told the JTA.

He said “the conference will discuss the composition of the WZO’s Executive, the composition of future Zionist Congresses and, in general, the aims and the program of the WZO.”

According to Kronitz, a 35-member WZO Executive is too large. An Executive of 7-8 members would be sufficient, he said. Under his proposal, the chairman of the Executive would head the WZO’s organization department, while the Treasurer would be responsible for fund raising, aliya, education, youth, hasbara (information) and settlements.

“The WZO must attract the best brains and leadership in the Jewish world by bringing a revolutionary change in the structure of the WZO,” Kronitz told the JTA.