Basel

Israeli President Isaac Herzog leads a Zionist gathering in Basel, where Theodor Herzl envisioned a Jewish state and launched Zionism as a political movement.

Our achievements over the past century and a quarter have surpassed the dreams of even the most ambitious visionaries. They're nothing short of a manifestation of our prophets’ farsighted aspirations

Zionism – the Jewish yearning to return to their ancestral homeland of Israel – has existed since Jews were exiled from the Land of Israel.

DIASPORA AFFAIRS: On August 29, 1897, Theodor Herzl convened in Basel the First Zionist Congress. One hundred and twenty-five years later, the WZO chose to commemorate the congress.

Members of the Zionist executive from around the world gathered on stage in Basel singing Hatikvah, but where were the members of haredi political factions?

Herzog asked to call upon the Swiss and all other governments, “to oppose the Iranian nuclear program, in no uncertain terms."

"The Iranian regime is lying to the whole world and we proved it," said former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen.

We cannot guarantee a secure Jewish future without strong efforts to push back against the extreme anti-Zionism rampant in many countries and seeping into international forums.

Masses arrived in Switzerland in order to mark the 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress in a three-day event.

While Herzog is in Switzerland, he will witness the signing of a groundbreaking agreement between Israel and the Swiss National Science Foundation.