Reforms proposals cause rift in Jewish Agency

For the first time since the establishment of the state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not plan to address the Jewish Agency Board of Governors assembly, which will convene in Jerusalem next week. Netanyahu canceled his appearance against the backdrop of growing disagreement between the prime minister and Israeli representatives at the Jewish Agency on the one hand, and American representatives and donors on the other.

The prime minister's major disagreement is over the refusal of American delegates to support his candidate for Jewish Agency chairman, the former Soviet Jewish dissident and former Israeli cabinet minster Natan Sharansky.

The prime minister's bureau claimed that Netanyahu's appearance was canceled as a result of his trip to Europe next week.

The dispute stems from the demand for far-reaching reforms in the organization's structure which the American donors, who fund a substantial part of the Jewish Agency budget, are seeking. The major issue involves severing the historic tie between the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization on the one hand, and the Israeli political system on the other. The Americans contend that the Jewish Agency should become a non-governmental organization, thereby forfeiting its special status in Israel.

At the upcoming Jewish Agency meeting, a new chairman will be elected to succeed Zeev Bielski, who resigned when he was elected to the current Knesset. Traditionally, the prime minister's candidate for Jewish Agency chairman is chosen by the delegates, but the Americans are seeking to break with this tradition as well. They refuse to support Sharansky's candidacy and are demanding that a chairman be elected who is not connected to the Israeli political system.

Automatic choice

Tomorrow Sharansky is expected to be elected chairman of the World Zionist Organization. In the past, the WZO chairman has also automatically become the chairman of the Jewish Agency. Next week, if the Jewish Agency votes in favor of the proposal to reform its organizational structure, someone else will be elected chairman, thereby severing the ties between the two organizations.

Recently the opposing Jewish Agency camps have been trying to rally support for their positions. The Israeli representatives are seeking the support of European delegates to block the reform plan.

Information and Diaspora Minister Yuli Edelstein (Likud) has expressed concern that the prime minister's political rivals from Kadima and other parties will side with the Americans in an effort to harm Netanyahu politically. Edelstein also warned that Sharansky will ultimately withdraw his candidacy for Jewish Agency chairman if he feels this has become controversial.

Netanyahu's associates have said that if the reform passes and the Jewish Agency loses its special status in Israel, long-term understandings between the agency and the government would also be compromised. They note, for example, that the organization's exclusive role in immigrant absorption and the government funding that the Jewish Agency receives for that purpose might be in danger.

The move comes at a time of increasing competition from private organizations, such as Nefesh B'Nefesh, in handling immigrant absorption. Sources in the government warn that these private organizations may receive government priority over the Jewish Agency.

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