Yesh Atid Leaves World Zionist Organization Over Corruption Allegations
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid declared that his centrist party, Yesh Atid, is withdrawing from the World Zionist Organization (WZO), criticizing the 127-year-old body for corruption and political favoritism. He emphasized that these issues are alienating Diaspora Jews from Israel.
Accusations Against National Institutions
Lapid accused Israel's "national institutions" of prioritizing political interests instead of the public good. He announced plans to nationalize the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, KKL-JNF), which manages more than 13% of Israel's land, to mitigate these concerns.
Impact on World Zionist Congress Negotiations
This decision disrupted sensitive coalition discussions taking place at the World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem, a once-every-five-years global meeting of delegates from Israel and Diaspora Jewish groups. These talks aimed to establish a power-sharing agreement among political parties and major Jewish organizations abroad.
Collapsed Leadership Talks
A draft deal had positioned Yesh Atid lawmaker Meir Cohen to chair KKL-JNF, but the arrangement fell apart after media reports revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son, Yair Netanyahu, was offered a senior WZO role. Lapid condemned this move as nepotism and a tactic to allocate positions within the Netanyahu family.
“A system to arrange jobs for the Netanyahu family.”
Lapid stated his party would reject any roles and funding linked to Zionist institutions following these developments.
Author's Summary
Yesh Atid’s exit from the World Zionist Organization highlights deep concerns about corruption and nepotism, pushing for reform and national control of influential Israeli land institutions.