Raanan Weitz, the Laborite co-chairman of the World Zionist Organization’s settlement department, refused to participate in an official tour of West Bank settlements by delegates from the world-wide Labor Zionist movement.
Weitz objected to the tour on grounds that it was a political act implying Labor encouragement of the settlements. He suggested that visitors who were curious about the settlements should visit them privately. But Yehiel Leket, chairman of the Labor Zionist movement disagreed.
“Political persons should also see settlements to which they object,” he said. He maintained that a visit to the West Bank settlements does not mean identification with the Gush Emunim zealots who inhabit many of them. The delegation visited Ofra in Judaea and settlements in the Jordan valley.
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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.
