The settlements resolution passed by the 29th World Zionist Congress yesterday reflected a certain moderation relative to some of the hardline speeches voiced by rightist delegates. An even more moderate version of the key resolution, proposed by the Labor Zionist Movement and the World Confederation of United Zionists, failed on a hand count by a narrow majority.
The key resolution as passed by the Congress reads (in translation): “The settlement policy of the Zionist movement should be based in the near future on the strengthening of existing settlements in Eretz Israel, giving priority to thinly populated areas and areas vital to Israel’s security, and with a view to increasing the Jewish element in the population of the area.”
The Labor-Confederation amendment stressed more explicitly the need to keep to unpopulated areas and to preserve the “Jewish and democratic character of the State of Israel.” It also called for “the settlement effort to be carried out taking into consideration the progress and timing of the peacemaking process.” It was rejected by a vote of 233-226.
Other resolutions insisted that settlements be undertaken solely with government approval, and called on Jewish youth the world over to see in new settlements a “central challenge.” The Jewish National Fund was praised for its settlement ground clearing and infrastructure work and for its efforts “to improve the quality of life in Israel” by its parks and outdoor recreational facilities.
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