World Zionist Organization - Jewish Agency (Status) Law (1952)

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THIS LAW: World Zionist Organization - Jewish Agency (Status) Law (passed by the Knesset November 24, 1952).
ITS AMENDMENTS: (12.23.75)

No. 1

WORLD ZIONIST ORGANISATION - JEWISH AGENCY
(STATUS) LAW, 5713-1952*

1. The State of Israel regards itself as the creation of the entire Jewish people, and its gates are open, in accordance with its laws, to every Jew wishing to immigrate to it.

2. The World Zionist Organisation, from its foundation five decades ago, headed the movement and efforts of the Jewish people to realise the age-old vision of the return to its homeland and, with the assistance of other Jewish circles and bodies, carried the main responsibility for establishing the State of Israel.

3. The World Zionist Organisation, which is also the Jewish Agency, takes care as before of immigration and directs absorption and settlement projects in the State.

4. The State of Israel recognises the World Zionist Organisation as the authorised agency which will continue to operate in the State of Israel for the development and settlement of the country, the absorption of immigrants from the Diaspora and the coordination of the activities in Israel of Jewish institutions and organisations active in those fields.

5. The mission of gathering in the exiles, which is the central task of the State of Israel and the Zionist Movement in our days, requires constant efforts by the Jewish people in the Diaspora; the State of Israel, therefore, expects the cooperation of all Jews, as individuals and groups, in building up the State and assisting the immigration to it of the masses of the people, and regards the unity of all sections of Jewry as necessary for this purpose.

6. The State of Israel expects efforts on the part of the World Zionist Organisation for achieving this unity; if, to this end, the Zionist Organisation, with the consent of the Government and the approval of the Knesset, should decide to broaden its basis, the enlarged body will enjoy the status conferred upon the World Zionist Organisation in the State of Israel.

7. Details of the status of the World Zionist Organisation - whose representation is the Zionist Executive, also known as the Executive of the Jewish Agency - and the form of its cooperation with the Government shall be determined by a Covenant to be made in Israel between the Government and the Zionist Executive.

8. The Covenant shall be based on the declaration of the 23rd Zionist Congress in Jerusalem that the practical work of the World Zionist Organisation and its various bodies for the fulfilment of their historic tasks in Eretz-Israel requires full cooperation and coordination on its part with the State of Israel and its Government, in accordance with the laws of the State.

9. There shall be set up a committee for the coordination of the activities of the Government and Executive in the spheres in which the Executive will operate according to the Covenant; the tasks of the Committee shall be determined by the Covenant.

10. The Covenant and any variation or amendment thereof made with the consent of the two parties shall be published in Reshumot and shall come into force on the day of publication, unless they provide for an earlier or later day for this purpose.

11. The Executive is a juristic body and may enter into contracts, acquire, hold and relinquish property and be a party to any legal or other proceeding.

12. The Executive and its funds and other institutions shall be exempt from taxes and other compulsory Government charges, subject to such restrictions and conditions as may be laid down by the Covenant; the exemption shall come into force the coming into force of the Covenant.

DAVID BEN-GURION
Prime Minister

YOSEF SPRINZAK
Chairman of the Knesset
Interim President of the State

* Passed by the Knesset on the 6th Kislev, 5713 (24th November, 1952) and published in Sefer Ha-Chukkim No. 112 of the 14th Kislev, 5713 (2nd December, 195Z) p. 2.

THIS LAW: World Zionist Organization - Jewish Agency (Status) Law (passed by the Knesset November 24, 1952).
ITS AMENDMENTS: (12.23.75)

SOURCE: "Laws of the State of Israel: Authorized Translation from the Hebrew, Volume 7". Government Printer, Jerusalem, Israel (1948-1987), p. 3-4.