KKL-JNF approves West Bank land purchases, pending final authorization
In February, the KKL-JNF’s board of directors voted to approve in principle KKL-JNF land purchases in the West Bank for the first time in the organization’s history.
By JEREMY SHARONUpdated: APRIL 11, 2021 21:59The Higher Planning Council is set to advance West Bank settler housing projects Sunday, including in Itamar. Picture taken June 15, 2020.(photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
The Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund Executive Committee has narrowly approved a previous decision to purchase land in the West Bank, paving the way for final approval of the new policy later this month.In February, the KKL-JNF’s board of directors voted to approve in principle KKL-JNF land purchases in the West Bank for the first time in the organization’s history.The decision caused consternation among liberal and left-wing groups in Israel and the Jewish world, who argued that KKL-JNF funds should be used for goals and projects that have consensus backing from the Jewish people both in Israel and around the world, bearing in mind that the organization is funded by donations from the Diaspora as well as by the Israeli government.Right-wing and religious officials in KKL-JNF lauded the proposals, saying they would strengthen the settlement movement and that the decision is a democratic one based on the narrow majority enjoyed by the right-wing in the national institutions.On Sunday, KKL-JNF’s executive committee approved the specific land purchases detailed in a proposal to buy property close to and abutting existing settlements in Judea and Samaria to allow them to expand.The vote on the proposal was tied six votes to six, but due to a clause within the recent World Zionist Organization’s coalition agreement regarding what happens in the event of a tie, the vote of one of the committee members from the left-wing, liberal block was discounted, allowing the motion to be passed.Discussion of the proposal on Sunday lasted about an hour.A final decision on the land purchases will be made by the KKL-JNF’s board of directors on April 22.Prof. Alon Tal, a KKL-JNF vice chairmen and a member of the board of directors, lamented the decision, saying it was a shame the organization was providing funds for projects that do not have consensus support.The amount of money being allocated, between NIS 30 million to NIS 40m., was not especially significant and would not affect substantial change, he said, adding that the wisdom of embracing such a contentious policy for little practical effect was questionable.
KKL-JNF chairman Avraham Duvdevani likely was seeking to placate his political base through such a step, Tal said.Such land purchases would make it harder for KKL-JNF to raise funds abroad, and it would be harder to refute allegations the organization was not tied to the far Right of the Israeli political map, he said.Labor MK Gilad Kariv, who was until recently a senior official in the World Zionist Congress, accused the KKL-JNF leadership of carrying out “a dangerous operation” that would have security and diplomatic ramifications.“The fact that this step was taken immediately after the elections and before a government has been established only strengthens the feeling that the present leadership of KKL seeks to turn the organization into another long arm of the settlement enterprise,” he said.“We are proud to have cast the deciding vote,” said Rabbi Pesach Lerner, founder and chairman of the Eretz Hakodesh WZO faction.“The area of Yehuda and Shomron has been part of the land of Israel since the time of Joshua and is an integral part of our history and our future.”
