Speaking yesterday afternoon at JAFI‘s Board of Governor’s meeting in Jerusalem, Israel’s Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni warned of an erosion of the Zionist idea, a trend advanced by the growing de-legitimization of Israel in the international community, and said that Israel and Jewish communities abroad must redouble their efforts to reverse this (trend).

Livni pointed to the common challenge that is facing both Israel and world Jewry. “Today there is worrying erosion and a process of de-legitimization against Israel in the world — it appears as if the Zionist idea is losing its importance. What was understood 60 years ago is no longer understood today. This trend is not just taking place within the international community but even in some Jewish communities,” Livni said.

To change this, Livni called for a redoubled joint effort of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency with Jewish communities, which, she said, have a “responsibility to Israel that is expressed by sending youngsters on trips to Israel, fundraising and other activities.”

“There were those who thought that the role of Jewish organizations had come to an end with the establishment of the State, but we can see today clearly the important partnerships between world Jewry and Israel both in the common threats and the common vision. In fact, we are engaged in the same struggle but on different fronts — against extremism, anti-Semitism and the struggle to preserve the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” Livni said.