Seventeenth Congress - Basle, 1931

Only a few days after the Sixteenth Congress had closed, riots had broken out in Palestine. The Shaw Commission reported unfavorably on Zionist activity in Palestine as did Hope-Simpson, who had been sent to Palestine shortly thereafter. Their recommendations were adopted by Lord Passfield in the White Paper bearing his name. The Zionist movement was in uproar and Weizmann tendered his resignation as President of the organization. However, following negotiations with the minority government of Ramsay MacDonald, many of the negative clauses were retracted.

During the Congress, a large number of delegates protested Weizmann's policy towards the British, in particular his commitment to maximum cooperation with the Mandate authority. The Revisionists were not alone in opposing Weizmann, although they were the most demonstrative. Jabotinsky, the undisputed leader of this stream in Zionism, called on the organization to adopt a resolution stating that Zionism's end goals were the establishment of a Jewish majority and Jewish State in Palestine on both sides of the Jordan river. When the Congress rejected this plea, Jabotinsky tore up his delegate card and shouted, "This is not a Zionist congress!"

This was to be a further landmark on the road to Revisionist secession from the Zionist organization. Weizmann did not withdraw his resignation and Sokolow was elected in his stead. Given the increased Labor representation in the Executive, Weizmann's pro-British orientation was to continue.

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