World Zionist Organization- United Kingdom

19/04/2026

Every year between Yom HaShoah and Yom Ha'atzmaut, we at the World Zionist Organization hold a festive event of reading Megillat Ha'atzmaut at the Egalitarian Kotel.

11/11/2025

The Zionist Congress elects the Executive of the World Zionist Organization by a large majority: Yaakov Hagoel and Rabbi Doron Perez chosen to serve as Chairmen of the Zionist Executive, each for half a term
At the conclusion of an election campaign that took place over the past year across the world and in Israel, the Executive of the World Zionist Organization was elected. By a large majority—480 in favor, 14 opposed, and 5 abstentions—Yaakov Hagoel and Rabbi Doron Perez were chosen to serve as Chairmen of the Executive, each for half a term. Dr. Yizhar Hess was elected as Deputy and Acting Chairman.
Rabbi Doron Perez, 55, born in South Africa, is the Chairman of the World Mizrachi Movement. He serves as a member of the Executive of the World Zionist Organization, Head of the Department for Spiritual Services in the Diaspora, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency.
He lost his son, Israeli hero Captain Daniel Perez z”l, in the Iron Swords War. His son was killed and abducted to Gaza, and his body was brought to burial in recent weeks.
Yaakov Hagoel, 54, born in Israel, is the Chairman of the World Zionist Organization. Previously, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Zionist Executive, Head of the Department for Israel and the Fight Against Antisemitism, and Director-General of the World Betar Movement. He also served as Acting Chairman of the Jewish Agency between 2021–2022.
The elections for the national institutions brought a record number of votes — approximately 265,000 Jews expressed their commitment to the future of the Jewish people, to the State of Israel, and to strengthening inter-community ties throughout the Diaspora.
The World Zionist Congress is considered the supreme legislative and decision-making body of the World Zionist Organization — a kind of global Jewish “parliament.” It serves as the main platform for setting the movement’s policy, strengthening the connection between Israel and the Diaspora, and advancing the values of Zionism in the 21st century.

22/09/2025

24/06/2025

Overnight President Trump declared on social media that a “complete and total ceasefire” between Israel and Iran “has been fully agreed.”
• Trump congratulated “Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, “THE 12 DAY WAR.” This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will!”
• According to Trump the ceasefire for Iran came into effect this morning, whilst Israel was given an additional 12 hours to complete its operation.
• The ceasefire has since been confirmed by both Iranian and Israeli governments.
• As anticipated, just as the ceasefire came into effect Iran fired a final salvo of around 15 missiles. Most were intercepted but one directly struck a seven story residential building in Beersheva, killing four people.
Over the last 24 hours Israel ramped up the intensity of their bombing campaign.
• The Israeli Air Force continued to target Iranian military infrastructure and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities.
• The targets struck included missile production sites, military command posts and air-defence systems. IAF aircraft fired roughly 200 munitions in five separate waves of air strikes.
• Israel eliminated another prominent Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohammad Reza Sabar, who had survived a previous attempt on his life.
• Israel also hit several targets associated with the regime in the heart of Tehran. The attacks targeted bases used by the IRGC and the Basij, as well as the entrance and guard post of Evin Prison, which the regime uses to incarcerate political prisoners and opponents of the regime.
• Another target was the famous clock in Palestine Square that gave the “countdown” until Israel’s anticipated destruction in 2040.
• The nuclear facility in Fordow was attacked once again yesterday as well. According to reports, the IDF attacked the entrances to the installation, apparently in an effort to prevent the removal of equipment and material.
Yesterday evening Iran symbolically retaliated against the US with missile launched towards the US base in Qatar.
• Video footage shows interceptions above Doha in Qatar which is host to the Al-Udeid airbase.
• Shortly after the attack, the IRGC issued a statement confirming that it had “targeted the Al-Udeid base in Qatar with a devastating and powerful missile attack in Operation Tidings of Victory.”
• In response, President Trump has branded the Iranian attack as “very weak”, and thanked Iran for “giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.”
• Other sources have confirmed that Iran had deconflicted the attack in advance with Qatar to ensure that the potential for causing casualties was minimised, and that Tehran could be somewhat seen to save face after the US destroyed its nuclear enrichment facility in Fordow.
Ahead of the ceasefire announcement Israeli officials had been suggesting that the operation was almost complete with all the objectives met.
• Whilst Israel mourns the 28 civilians killed, the military operation is considered a stunning success, delivering results beyond the planners’ expectations.
• Crucially Israel is satisfied. It has removed a double immediate and existential threat, posed by the nuclear and ballistic missiles programme.
• It remains unclear to what extent the nuclear sites have been destroyed and whether the stockpiles of enriched uranium are buried in the rubble or if they were moved to another location.
• The working assessment is that the installation in Natanz was completely destroyed. Israeli officials are still waiting for confirmation about the status of Fordow and Isfahan.
• It remains to be seen whether the Iranian nuclear programme was completely obliterated or whether it was merely set back, and by how long. Iran probably still possesses some of the 60 per cent enriched uranium, though not clear how much, but now will face real difficulty enriching it to the level needed for a nuclear bomb.
• According to assessments, Iran had around 2,500 ballistic missiles at the beginning of the war. Roughly 500 of those missiles were fired at Israel, and another 800 are believed to have been destroyed by Israeli air strikes. The IAF also had success decommissioning over two thirds of their launchers.
• Over the last day targets included the regime itself and the security organisations responsible for ensuring its survival. The goal was to weaken and destabilise those organisations to enable opponents of the regime within Iran to rebel effectively. The general assessment remains that if an uprising in Iran does occur, it will not be immediate, but can only happen after Israel concludes its military campaign.
According to the ceasefire understanding, Israel has a remaining few hours to complete any further attacks.
• Speaking to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee yesterday National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said that Israel is “very close to expanding the Abraham Accords. Immediately with the end of the war, a significant diplomatic effort will be made to achieve agreements with Lebanon and Syria. Expedited work is already being done and, if that happens, and there is a good chance that it will happen, this will spell the practical end of the Iranian axis.”
There is also hope that renewed efforts will now be made to end the fighting in Gaza and secure the release of all the 50 remaining hostages.

20/05/2025

Prime Minister Netanyahu has responded to a joint statement from the UK, France, and Canada condemning Israeli conduct in the West Bank and Gaza Strip which also threatened sanctions in the event of settlement growth.
• In a statement released last night, Netanyahu said “By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities.”
• Netanyahu also reiterated that “Israel accepts President Trump's vision and urges all European leaders to do the same”, and that in the event of Hamas releasing the remaining hostages, its leaders being exiled, and Gaza demilitarising, the war could “end tomorrow.”
• The joint British, French, and Canadian statement opened by condemning Israel’s expansion of operations in the Gaza Strip, branded the recently announced aid provision expansion as “wholly inadequate”, and threatened “further concrete actions in response” unless Israel ceased its military options and lifted restrictions on humanitarian aid.
• West Bank settlement expansion was specifically highlighted as another area of concern, which the statement said “undermined…the security of both Israelis and Palestinians” while threatening “targeted sanctions.”
• The statement also condemned Hamas’s October 7 attacks against Israel while branding its response as “wholly disproportionate” and “egregious”, reiterating support for an immediate ceasefire and eventual implementation of a two state solution, and a commitment to “work with the Palestinian Authority, regional partners, Israel and the United States to finalise consensus on arrangements for Gaza’s future, building on the Arab plan.”
The UK, France, and Canada’s statement almost immediately followed Israel increasing its aid provision based on the US led plan.
• Yesterday, the first aid entered the Gaza Strip in eleven weeks, amounting to a total of five UN food lorries. This follows Prime Minister Netanyahu agreeing to allow a “minimal” amount of food into the coastal enclave to prevent famine.
• While the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, welcomed this development, he also described it as a “drop in the ocean” and said that “significantly more aid must be allowed into Gaza, starting tomorrow morning”.
• Israel emphasises that it monitors the level of essential goods in Gaza daily via COGAT and that aid is to supplied based on actual need.
• Previously, during a 42-day ceasefire starting in January, Israel facilitated 25,000 aid trucks into Gaza — creating a surplus of food and goods.
• There is renewed concern in Israel that while the aid delivery mechanism remains unchanged the trucks will be susceptible to being taken over by Hamas.
• Concurrently, Israeli negotiators were also instructed to remain in Doha despite the apparent lack of a breakthrough which could lead to a ceasefire and the release of the remaining 58 hostages, held in brutal captivity now for 592 days.
• Adam Boehler, the US special envoy for hostage response, also said that “we’re closer than we ever were” to reaching an agreement without providing further details.
• The IDF is continuing its operations across the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, striking over 160 targets and dismantling a tunnel previously used to attack Israeli troops in the southern Gaza Strip.
• There are also unconfirmed reports that an undercover Israeli special forces unit infiltrated Khan Yunis and eliminated Ahmad Sarhan, a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees. The PRC is a small but aggressive group which is best known for abducting Gilad Shalit in 2006. The Israeli government has not commented on this story, but the PRC have announced Sarhan’s death, referring to him as a “special operations officer.”
• The IDF has also confirmed that it conducted an air strike in Lebanon yesterday, targeting and killing a member of Hezbollah’s special operations Radwan Force in the Houla area.
It is expected that US and Israel supported aid distribution hubs operated by US security contractors will open in the southern Gaza Strip next week. This will be a new mechanism, aimed at delivering aid more efficiently to the civilian population and circumventing Hamas. However, the UN and other agencies have indicated they will not co-operate with these plans, arguing they contradict fundamental humanitarian principles of impartiality, independence, and neutrality.
• The Houthis have claimed that they will now enforce a naval blockade on the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, and that ships heading there would be targeted.
• The UN has also set a date for a French and Saudi sponsored conference on the two state solution which is due to take place from June 17 to 20 at the UN headquarters in New York. Its intentions is to set the conditions for more states to formally recognize Palestine.

17/02/2025

Families of the hostages and their supporters are marking 500 days since their kidnapping, while 73 hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
• Demonstrations are anticipated across the country. In Jerusalem there will be a protest march from the prime minister’s home to the Knesset.
• The Hostages and Missing Families Forum announced a ‘day’ of fasting (500 minutes), while noting that “this is nothing compared to the suffering of those still there. It is a day of solidarity that would strengthen the hostages and echo the cry of those who are not heard. There is no more time. Action is needed to return all of them immediately."
• Saturday saw the release of another three hostages - Sasha Trufanov, Sagi Dekel-Chen, and Iair Horn. This leaves 73 hostages in Gaza, six of whom are due to be released as part of the first stage of the deal along with eight bodies. Of the then remaining 59 it is thought around half are still alive.
• At a press conference last night Yelena Trufanov, the mother of Sasha said that her son had been shot in both legs on October 7th, adding “it’s a miracle that he is standing and walking. I feel that I have been given back my life, my soul, my heart. Sasha came back alive and well and that is a great joy and relief.”
• Sagi Dekel-Chen commented, "It's nice to say 498 days, but we were there for over 43 million seconds of hell. We don't count days, we don't count minutes. We count seconds in this hell."
• In return for those hostages, Israel once more released over 300 Palestinian prisoners, 33 of whom were serving life sentences. In this round, most were from Fatah rather than Hamas, which allowed Hamas to magnanimously claim to be working on behalf of all the terror factions. Among the prominent terrorists – active during the Second Intifada – released this weekend are:
o Ahmed Barghouti (Fatah), serving 13 life sentences, murdered 12 Israelis.
o Muhammad Matzlah (Fatah), serving nine life sentences, was involved in the lynching of two IDF reservists.
o Shadi Abu Shahdam (Fatah), serving six life sentences, murdered six civilians, and wounding of over 100.
o Nael Abid, (Hamas), serving four life sentences, involved in the murder of seven civilians, and wounding of 60.
Last night the Prime Minister’s Office announced that it was sending a negotiations team to Cairo today, “in order to discuss the continued implementation of the first stage of the deal.”
• One of the unresolved issues of the first stage is the entrance of mobile caravan homes from Egypt into Gaza. Israel may be looking to leverage their entry in order to speed up the release of the remaining six live hostages, who are due for release in the first stage.
• The security cabinet is expected to convene later today to establish the guidelines for the negotiators to discuss the second stage of the deal.
• US envoy Witkoff told Fox News yesterday that he was certain that the second stage of the agreement would be carried out. Witkoff said that stage was more “intricate and complicated” than the first, since it would entail an end to the war and Hamas “being gone from Gaza.”
• Another issue being considered is the extension of the first stage. This coincides with the sensitive month of Ramadan due to begin at the end of next week. The idea is that such an extension would see the release of more hostages in exchange for more Palestinian security prisoners without either side needing to make the more difficult concessions as part two of the deal.
Yesterday Israeli leaders hosted the new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• In a three hour meeting between Rubio and PM Netanyahu, they discussed the Iranian threat, the next stages of the ceasefire in Lebanon, the post Assad regime in Syria, Trump’s plan for post war Gaza and the hostages.
• Rubio also met with President Herzog, Foreign Minister Saar, and Leader of the Opposition Lapid.
• These meetings are the latest example of the close ties between the new US administration and the Israeli government.
• In a joint press conference Netanyahu took the opportunity to restate, “President Trump and I are working in full cooperation and coordination between us. We have a common strategy and we can’t always share in details this strategy with the public, including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released, until the last one of them.”
• Rubio said, “The president has been very clear: Hamas cannot continue as a military or government force. And frankly, as long as it stands as a force that can govern or a force that can administer or a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible. They must be eliminated. It must be eradicated.”
• Rubio also related to the Iranian threat saying, “Iran is the single greatest source of instability in the region. Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilising activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people who call this region home, is Iran. And by Iran, I mean the ayatollahs. By Iran, I mean its regime, a regime who by the way, its people don't support. The people of Iran are victims of that regime.”
• Rubio added, “If there were more Israelis in the Middle East, more countries like that, the world would be a safer and a better place. And this is what we hope for the region and for our planet. A nation that has always sought peace but will not allow itself to be intimidated or destroyed by its enemies. And on that front, you can always count on us.”
• Also this weekend, Israel received delivery of a shipment of heavy bombs. Despite their hold up, according to the Ministry of Defence, “over 76,000 tonnes of military equipment have arrived in Israel via 678 airlifts and 129 sea shipments. This represents the largest air and sea bridge in Israel's history.”
Once the security cabinet has discussed the second phase, senior negotiators are expected to meet later this week in Qatar.

• Jordan and Egypt are preparing to present an alternative to President Trump’s plan to remove the residents of Gaza to other countries in the region.

20/01/2025

Three female hostages were freed yesterday after 471 days in Hamas captivity.
• This was the first stage of the first phase that also saw 90 Palestinian prisoners released as part of the deal.
• Dual British – Israeli Emily Damari (28) and Doron Steinbrecher (31) were both taken from their homes on Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7th 2023, whilst Romi Gonen (24) was kidnapped from the Nova music festival.
• Hamas had previously delayed the release of their names, but by Sunday afternoon had handed them over to the Red Cross inside Gaza who in turn handed them over the IDF.
• All three were reunited with their mothers and then transported by helicopter to Sheba Hospital where they met more family members.
• According to the head of the Sheba Hospital Dr. Yael Frankel-Nir their medical condition allowed for the focus to be placed on reuniting them with their families.
• Prime Minister Starmer said, "The release of three hostages today is wonderful and long overdue news after months of agony for them and their families. Among them is British citizen Emily Damari...However, today also represents another day of suffering for those who haven’t made it home yet - so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas."
• Foreign Secretary Lammy added, "Our thoughts are also with those still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including the families of UK linked hostages Eli Sharabi, Oded Lifsh*tz and Avinatan Or."
• Outgoing President Biden said of the deal, "This is the exact framework of the deal I proposed back in May — exact — and we got the world to endorse it. Secondly, it’s America’s support for Israel that helped them badly weaken Hamas and its backers and create the conditions for this deal. And thirdly, I knew this deal would have to be implemented by the next team, so I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure we’re all speaking with the same voice, because that’s what American presidents do."
• Following the release of the three women, 90 Palestinian security prisoners were also released.
• 78 were taken to the West Bank town of Beitunia, where they were greeted by a cheering crowd e including flag of Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad and even Hezbollah.
• The remaining 12 East Jerusalem residents were transported and released back in Jerusalem.
• Earlier on Sunday the IDF announced the retrieval of the body of fallen IDF soldier Oren Shaul, whose body had been held by Hamas since 2014.
• The head of COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) Maj. Gen. Ghassan Aliyan met yesterday with the family of Oron Shaul. Aliyan was the commander of the Golani Brigade in 2014 when Shaul was killed during Operative Protective Edge.
The release of the three women was greeted with jubilation across Israel, with a large crowd following events on a large screen in Hostage Square in central Tel Aviv.
• Having been shot in the hand and suffering shrapnel in her leg, Emily Damari was taken by terrorists from her home in Kfar Azza on October 7, blindfolded, and driven in her own car to Gaza. She was seen yesterday appearing to be missing two fingers.
• Doron Steinbrecher, a veterinary nurse, was also taken from her home on the Kibbutz.
• Romi Gonen, from Kfar Vradim in northern Israel, was taken hostage from the music festival. She was also shot in her hand while trying to escape.
• Alongside the celebration, for many Israelis this is was a bittersweet moment. Beyond the first emotion of relief and joy to see three Israelis hostages released alive there was also several factors to diminish the celebrations.
• There was general unease at the sight of their handover to the Red Cross in which the captives were surrounded by a mob, including uniformed Hamas fighters who climbed atop the Red Cross vehicle. This angered Israeli officials who said it must never be allowed to recur. Israel intends to inform the mediators that it views that behaviour as unacceptable.
• The symbolic show of strength by Hamas – even if staged – confirms that they remain in control of the Gaza Strip and are likely to take advantage of the ceasefire and further strengthen their position.
• In parallel to the release an extended amount of humanitarian aid has started to enter Gaza. This process will be overseen by Hamas, further consolidating their control.
• The 90 Palestinian prisoners released in this round were considered relatively ‘lightweight’. Among those released were: Mahmoud Aliowat, now 15 the youngest of the Palestinian prisoners released. He was convicted as a 13 year old of carrying out a shooting attack which wounding two people. The list also included Khalida Jarrar, 62, a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). He was considered responsible for setting an explosive device that killed 17 year old Rina Shnerb at a spring in the West Bank. Another released East Jerusalemite, Nawal Abed Fatiha, stabbed a 70 year old Israeli man with a knife in Jerusalem in 2020.
• The government maintains that it is prepared to continue the fighting with support of the US. Reflecting on the deal, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “Both President Trump and President Biden gave full backing to Israel’s right to resume the fighting if Israel reaches the conclusion that the negotiations on the second stage are futile,” Netanyahu said. “I very much appreciate this. I also appreciate President Trump’s decision to remove all the remaining restrictions on the supply of vital weapons and vital munitions to the State of Israel. If we have to resume the fighting, we will do this in new ways and we will do this with very great might.”
The initial stage of the hostage deal is expected to last for six weeks. Each week three or four hostages are due to be released, until the final two weeks in which the remaining hostages will return home. It remains unclear how many of the 33 hostages due to be released in this phase are alive.

Today we mark the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of the N**i Concentration Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in occupied Poland.

Tonight if you are viewing in the UK at 8.30pm “What Happened at Auschwitz” is being televised featuring a Documentary Journalist who speaks to survivors of this camp and others about what happened at the largest mass murder site in human history. At 9pm tonight on Sky Arts again to tie in with the 80th Anniversary another documentary tells the story of how a musical composer spent eight years bringing sheet music of orchestras within the camp back to life.