On this day in history: Theodor Herzl convenes First Zionist Congress in Basel

From morning to night, the delegates planted the seeds for building state institutions: The Jewish National Fund, the Zionist Organization. 

On this day, 129 years ago, some 200 Jews from 17 countries arrived in Basel, Switzerland, and convened in the municipal casino concert hall, decorated with blue and white flags, for the First Zionist Congress led by Theodor Herzl. 

From morning to night, the delegates planted the seeds for building state institutions: The Jewish National Fund, the Zionist Organization. 

Herzl drew from his experience as a journalist in Paris, closely observing French government, politics and world affairs. He reflected: “It now became clear why I had to attend the Palais Bourbon sessions four years on end.”

The First Zionist Congress lasted three days, from August 29-31, 1897.

Over three days, debates grew inside the hall and side rooms, Jews from all over coming together in this format for the first time. Assimilated Jews from England alongside religious, Yiddish-speaking Jews from small villages in Poland, and intellectual Russian Jews from Odessa all attended. 

It was during this congress that the Basel Program was adopted, in which the goals of the Zionist movement were set out.

In his diary, Herzl later wrote: "At Basel I founded the Jewish State. If I said this out loud today, I would be greeted by universal laughter. In five years perhaps, and certainly in fifty years, everyone will perceive it."

Anti-Israel protest planned for anniversary of congress

Now, 129 years later, an anti-Israel group based in Basel tried to plan a protest entitled "Death to Zionism" on Saturday.

The protest was denied approval after the organizers failed to submit a permit request, and authorities cited concerns about calls for violence, according to a statement issued by local police.

The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), which issued warnings about the event prior to the police announcement, identified the group ‘basel4palestine’ as the organization behind the protest.

In an official statement released earlier this week, the police noted that, in addition to lacking an official permit, local authorities determined that the event, as proposed, was "not consistent with fundamental rights and therefore cannot be authorized."