The world Organization Zionist was created the September 3rd 1897 at the time of the first congress Zionist which was held with Basle in Suisse. This organization which was still called Organization Zionist became the window of the movement Zionist. Ca is only in 1960 that the movement took the name of world Organization Zionist.

Theodore Herzl, which organized the first congress, wrote later: “In Basle, I gave rise to the future Jewish State. It can come in five years, or in fifty years, everyone will see it”.

At the creation of the State of Israel fifty years later, the May 14th 1948, most of the institutions had already been installation during the congresses Zionists which had been held regularly during the preceding decades. Some of these institutions function always today.

Operation of the organization

Of 1897 with 1946, a congress was organized every two years (except for the periods of the world wars) in various European cities, in order to build all the infrastructure necessary to the installation of the Jews in Palestine.

Delegations represented at the time of the congresses all the Jews whatever their countries, their languages, their traditions religious or their political sensibilities. The right to vote of each delegate was represented by the use of sound shekel Zionist. The representatives were gathered according to their ideology rather than according to their geographical location.

Finances of the organization were managed by the Jewish Colonial Trust , founded in 1899, and the acquisition of grounds in Palestine was organized by the Fonds Jewish national, founded in 1901. The Keren Hayesod was created in 1920 to organize the elementary activities necessary to the existence of a State: the companies of electricity, bank and exploitation of potash were thus created a long time before 1948.

Presidents

* Theodor Herzl: (1897 - 1904)

* David Wolffsohn: (1905 - 1911)

* Otto Heinrich Warburg: (1911 - 1921)

* Chaim Weizmann (1st time): (1921 - 1931)

* Nahum Sokolow: (1931 - 1935)

* Chaim Weizmann (2nd time): (1935 - 1946)

* David Ben Gourion (acting): (1946 - 1956)

* Nahum Goldmann: (1956 - 1968)

* Ehoud Avriel: (1968 - 1972)

* Louis Arie Pincus: (1968 - Oct. 1973)

* Arie Leon Dulzin (Oct. 1973 - 1975)

* Pinhas Sapir: (1975 - August 12th, 1975)

* Arie Leon Dulzin (August 12th, 1975 - 6 Jan 1976)

* Joseph Almogi: (6 Jan 1976 - 1978)

* Arie Leon Dulzin (1978 - DEC 1987)

* Simcha Dinitz: (December 1987 - February 14th, 1994)

* Yehiel Leket: (February 1994 - February 1995)

* Avraham Burg: (February 1995 - February 1999)

* Salted Meridor: (February 25th, 1999 - 2005)

* Zeev Bielski: (since 2005)

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