CZC's Ten Guiding Principles
1. Zionism is the liberation movement of the Jewish people. The Jewish people have been longing for centuries to return to their Jewish ancestral homeland, and in 1948 and during wars of self-defense, Israel has made this dream a reality, laying legal and moral claim to the land of Israel, including Judea & Samaria (aka the West Bank).
2. The Zionist movement started as an intellectual movement led by Jews seeking freedom and opportunity in the land of Israel. Now that the Zionist movement’s original vision has prevailed with the creation of the Jewish state, new ideas about Zionism must be explored and promoted to ensure the Jewish people remain safe, secure and happy in the land of Israel amidst new challenges.
3. The State of Israel is central to Jewish identity. The priority of the government of the State of Israel must be to ensure individual rights and the pursuit of happiness of its citizens, with special emphasis on protecting Jews from anti-Semitic violence.
4. A just peace is a supreme value in the region, but all too often, the word “peace” has become synonymous with the appeasement of Islamic terror. Happiness is a superior value to which the people of Israel and Jews worldwide should strive.
5. The vision and premises of the Oslo Accords which set the stage for the creation of a Palestinian state through "land for peace" have not delivered on promises to achieve peace, security and prosperity in t he Middle East. The two-state paradigm may continue to draw adherents, but after two decades in which the conflict between Israel and her Arab neighbors has not been resolved, reason requires that serious attention be given to alternative solutions.
6. Islamic fundamentalism is one of the greatest existential threats to Israel and the Jewish people today, and Islamic terrorism cannot be appeased. Israel and Zionists worldwide must stand strong in the face of Islamic violence and intimidation as well as engage in an aggressive intellectual offense as the best defense.
7. Aliyah (immigration to Israel) is a worthy and desirable goal of Jews worldwide, and Israel and Jewish communities worldwide must encourage and foster aliyah to ensure a safe, secure, and spiritually prosperous country.
8. Israel and Zionists worldwide should work to spread the life-affirming principles of Israel to create new alliances with governments and people of all kinds.
9. Jews should work with all non-Jewish Zionists to create a coalition that advances Israel’s interests and the interests of the Jewish people.
10. The arts and literature are central to promoting Israel’s narrative and intellectual defense. A new artistic and literary culture that dramatizes and inspires Zionist courage and heroism must be fostered to fuel a Zionist renaissance.
