Basel Program

The Basel Program refers to the declaration of principles adopted by the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897. This program's central aim was to establish a "publicly guaranteed homeland for the Jewish people" in Palestine.12

Theodor Herzl, considered the founder of political Zionism, organized this congress. Driven by his experiences with anti-Semitism, Herzl believed that the "Jewish question" was a political one that required a national solution: a Jewish state. The Basel Program was a crucial step in transforming Zionism from an idea into an organized political movement. The congress also established the World Zionist Organization, with Herzl as its first president.12