Danon calls for activism at Zionist Youth Congress

MK Danny Danon (Likud) called for greater involvement by youth in Zionist activities – regardless of their ideological affiliation – at the 32nd National Zionist Youth Congress in Nazareth Ilit on Monday.

Danon is the chairman of the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs.

“My main message is to be involved,” Danon told The Jerusalem Post immediately prior to his address to the Congress, whose attendees represent various youth faction chapters from around the country.

It does not matter “whether you belong to the [left wing] HaShomer HaTzair, or to [right wing] Beitar or to [the national- religious] Bnei Akiva” youth movement, Danon said, “as long as you are involved and you take a leading role. That’s what is important.”

Attendees at the event gathered on Monday for the two-day session organized by the Zionist Council in Israel and the World Zionist Organization.

The theme of this year’s event is “get up and fall in love with the land.”

Hundreds of youth, estimated by MK Danon’s office at between 700 and 1,000, are participating in the event, including representatives of schools and student councils, youth movements and youth organizations.

“These participants represent to a large extent the social mosaic of Israel,” an event spokesman said.

Participants discussed various issues facing the state, including settlement of the periphery, the debate over equality of service in the IDF and social responsibility.

Danon said that “even though we are busy with forming a coalition, it is very important to speak to the youngsters in the Zionist Congress who came to speak about Zionism.

I find it very important to speak with the youngsters, to learn from their ideas.

“It reminded me of when I was a little bit younger and was involved with the Beitar youth movement,” Danon said.