After being banned for “hateful tone and vulgarity,” Betar USA’s Ronn Torossian will attend the World Zionist Congress as a delegate — reigniting debate over extremism inside the pro-Israel camp.
The World Zionist Congress tribunal has overturned a ban on Ronn Torossian, the combative head of Betar USA, allowing him to attend the 39th World Zionist Congress this October as a delegate of the right-wing ZOA Coalition.
Torossian had originally been barred for his “aggressive, hateful tone and vulgarity,” but the appeals panel ruled Thursday that while his conduct was “inappropriate,” it should not prevent him from serving.
The case stemmed from Torossian’s bitter feud with Shai Davidai, a Columbia University professor and rival activist. Tribunal judges determined that Torossian’s private messages to Davidai — though threatening and vulgar — should not weigh against his eligibility. Public statements by Betar attacking Davidai and the Kol Israel slate were also deemed permissible as “issue-based criticism.”
The decision clears the way for Torossian to take part in debates over the allocation of nearly $5 billion in Israeli government funds, despite protests from rival delegates.
A Polarizing Figure
Torossian, a New York PR executive known for hardline tactics, has pushed Betar USA to embrace direct-action street protests and incendiary rhetoric online. Betar’s social media presence has featured memes like “We demand blood in Gaza,” calls to expel left-wing Jews from Israel, and AI-generated images of Theodor Herzl in IDF uniform.
Earlier this year, Torossian was forcibly removed from a Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations meeting after barging in to confront the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
Kol Israel, the rival slate, condemned the tribunal’s ruling as a “free pass” for bullying and smear tactics. “At a time when Jews in Israel and the Diaspora are facing horrific antisemitic attacks, those who sow division within our community damage their own credibility and empower our enemies,” the group said in a statement.
Betar’s Positioning
Betar USA frames itself as the modern heir to Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s Revisionist Zionist militia, aligning with far-right Israeli ministers and openly promoting policies that critics describe as extremist.
Torossian, however, celebrated the ruling as a victory for ideological clarity:
“We will not be silenced. Betar and Jabotinsky’s followers will defend revisionist Zionism from radicals who distort it for progressive agendas,” he wrote.
ZOA president Mort Klein also defended the decision, arguing that Torossian’s attacks were rooted in policy differences, specifically Davidai’s stated opposition to buying goods from beyond the 1967 lines.
The Larger Rift
The fight underscores a widening rift inside the American Zionist movement — between mainstream and far-right factions, between liberal Jewish voices and those who insist American Jews must align with the hard-right trajectory of Israeli politics.
Torossian summed up that divide bluntly:
“There is a major disconnect between the American Jewish community — particularly its liberal, Ashkenazi segments — and the political realities in Israel.”
With the ruling, Betar USA and the ZOA Coalition have secured their place at the table — ensuring that this October’s congress will be as much about who defines Zionism today as about how billions in Israeli funds are spent.
