World Zionist Congress disciplines Shai Davidai; bars Betar USA Founder Ronn Torossian 

Ronn Torossian, a polarizing Jewish public-relations executive and founder of Betar USA, has been banned from running as a delegate in the World Zionist Congress (WZC) election in the United States, the election’s governing body announced this week.

The decision, shared with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, cited Torossian’s aggressive and derogatory behavior during the campaign, particularly targeting Columbia University professor and activist Shai Davidai.

The Area Election Committee, chaired by Abraham Gafni and David J. Butler, ruled that Torossian violated regulations prohibiting negative comments about other delegates. “We are offended by the aggressive, hateful tone and vulgarity in many of his attacks,” the chairs stated. In the same ruling, Davidai, who campaigns for the Kol Israel slate, was ordered to cease campaigning due to similar complaints, though he is not a delegate candidate.

This dispute perfectly sums up this year's WZC election, where global Jewish voters select delegates to a Zionist legislative body controlling a $5 billion Israeli government fund. The election has become a battleground for competing visions of Israel’s future, with more slates running than ever before.

Torossian, a self-described former Likud Party worker under Benjamin Netanyahu, is Vice Chairman of Beitar Worldwide. He also leads Betar USA, a Zionist group inspired by Revisionist Zionist Ze’ev Jabotinsky.

Davidai, a vocal anti-antisemitism advocate, has criticized Netanyahu. More than that, Shai is a typical left-wing Israeli, who seems to believe in non-violent methods of dealing with Hamas and has expressed concern for Palestinian civilians in Gaza, in direct contrast with Betar’s hardline stance.

According to Torossian, "the controversy began earlier this year when members of a rival slate—Kol Israel—including activist Shai Davidai and StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein began an apparent campaign to delegitimize and politically oust both myself and Betar US from the elections. This followed ideological disagreements between Mr Davidai and Betar US surrounding Davidai’s alleged support for a boycott on products from Judea and Samaria."

Their feud escalated after Davidai rejected Betar’s participation in a Columbia University demonstration he organized in February, leading to mutual accusations of extremism and betrayal of Zionist values.

Davidai has also complained bitterly that Torossian and his supporters are harassing him online.

Torossian plans to appeal the ban and attend the WZC in Jerusalem this October, even if not as a delegate.

Davidai, who voluntarily stepped down as a Kol Israel delegate candidate after earlier complaints, said he was unaware of the disciplinary ruling against him.

Kol Israel’s chair, David Yaari, called the episode “a sad day for the Zionist movement,” lamenting the infighting. The group’s secretary general, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, filed the complaint against Torossian, accusing him of blackmail, harassment, and threats, particularly targeting Davidai and his family.

The American Zionist Movement, which oversees the U.S. election, did not comment on whether candidates had been barred in past elections. Mort Klein, head of the Zionist Organization of America, said he was unaware of Torossian’s ban and criticized Hassan-Nahoum, escalating tensions further.

Torossian is pursuing legal action against Davidai in a Jewish court (beit din), signaling the feud is far from over as the WZC approaches.

He explained: "We have filed arbitration proceedings at the Beth Din of America in Manhattan against Shai Davidai, Roz Rothstein, David Yaari and Stand With US, citing coordinated defamation, slander, and political collusion aimed at damaging the reputation of the movement and one of its key leaders. We seek $2 Million in damages to be donated to the Jabotinsky Institute in Tel Aviv."

Ronn Torossian gave Jfeed this exclusive statement:

“As a 102-year-old Zionist organization rooted in Jewish tradition and values there is no room in Zionism for those who boycott Israel and while we appreciated Davidai’s protests against Jew-haters at Columbia, he is a boycotter of Israel and there is no room for any boycotters of Israel at the Zionist convention.  Betar finds it despicable and terrible that Kol Israel and stand with us platform Davidai who boycotts Israel as Kol Israel and Stand with us boycott Israeli govermment ministers who travel the world.

Betar US recently hosted Israel’s Minister of Social Affairs, May Golan, an Israeli woman who was elected by the people of Israel and stand with us refuses to host as they refuse to meet other Israeli government leaders. Stand with US calls Betar a radical, hate group as they claim to be “inclusive Zionism.”

Betar is the very essence of Zionism.  To host a Zionist congress without the Jabotinsky movement is shameful. As one of the most active Zionist groups worldwide urging aliya and fighting jihadis worldwide, the only thing that Stand with us should tell Betar is thank you.

The heads of KKL and the WZO are Betarim and longtime personal friends.

For Stand with us to cite the ADL report calling Betar a radical, hate group is simply giving into woke values in the Zionist movement.

David Yaari and Fleur Hasson Nahoum have become woke advocates who are obsessed with silencing Netanyahu as they platform boycotters of Israel and work to silence Betar and Jabotinsky in the hopes of having a good name. This is a continued effort to silence and harm Netanyahu and Jabotinsky worldwide.

We demand they appear in Bet Din.

Stand with us has offered Rabbi Avi Weiss as a mediator who is on their list and we have agreed.  We haven't heard back from them in 4 days except for media leaks.  Perhaps they are busy rioting in Raanana and protesting Netanyahu as they claim inclusive Zionism yet demand Betar be banned.

Shameful.”

JTA contributed to this article.