Betar USA head Ronn Torossian was ordered by the Area Election Committee to be removed from the Zionist Organization of America Coalition over aggressive verbal attacks and threats against an opponent in the 2025 World Zionist Congress election.
The AEC chairs made the Tuesday decision following a dispute between Torossian and former Kol Israel candidate Shai Davidai, and a February 24 complaint by Kol Israel calling for the expulsion of Betar US from the American Zionist Movement and ZOA for inflammatory rhetoric and belligerent behavior.
The Monday hearing focused on the exchanges between Davidai and Torossian, finding that both men violated campaign rules against demeaning or denigrating other slates. According to the AEC, ZOA and Kol Israel tolerated, approved, or promoted the exchanges.
The AEC said that Torossian engaged in aggressive, hateful, and vulgar attacks that offended the chairs.
"We are concerned about the physical violence threatened in some of his postings. And we are disappointed by his disturbing lack of common courtesy and self-righteousness in his communications. That may be the style of the warrior Torossian claims to be, but it is not the tone, tenor or respectful approach to differences of opinion that our election campaign demands," read the decision. "Torosian’s attacks have crossed a line that cannot be tolerated. Accordingly, it is our ruling that by reason of his repeated and offensive campaign violations – which continued with additional offensive posts even after the hearing held in this matter yesterday — Mr. Torossian shall be removed as a delegate on the ZOA slate and replaced by the next delegate on that slate."
Appealing the decision
Torossian said that ZOA had appealed the decision, and that "we expect to win."
"The decision to remove Betar US from Zionist elections is a continuation of the tired dirty political threats of the woke left against Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and conservatives," said Torossian. "This is what the left does, names Jews radicals, and then bans them from events. Who are they to judge us? As an Israeli-American longtime activist its shocking that as vice chair of Betar Worldwide and Chairman of Betar US I can be thrown out of the Zionist Congress for demanding that boycotters of Israel have no place in the Zionist elections."
While Davidai had withdrawn from the Kol Israel slate, the AEC felt that his former slate had enabled the former candidate's attacks on Torrosian, Betar, and ZOA. Davidai was prohibited from participating in Kol Israel activities or campaigning materials for the remainder of the election period, which is set to end on May 4.
Betar USA railed against Davidai and Kol Israel on social media, claiming they were part of a radical left movement that banned its leaders from the WZC election.
Torossian said Betar USA was seeking traditional Jewish arbitration by the Beth Din of America against Davidai and other figures related to Kol Israel for their allegedly "unfounded, slanderous and defamatory remarks and actions." Torossian is seeking a public apology and halt to what it describes as a "malicious and libelous rhetoric.:
All other issues raised by ZOA and Kol Israel were dismissed due to lack of sufficient evidence or jurisdiction to order requested relief.
Betar USA had allegedly harassed Davidai and his family, over a 2024 Tablet article in which he mentioned that he refrained from buying products manufactured beyond the 1967 armistice line, and claimed that Kol Israel and member group StandWithUs supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Torossian was accused by Kol Israel of blackmail for threatening to accuse SWU of being pro-BDS if they did not acquiesce to his demands.
Kol Yisrael Secretary General Fleur Hassan-Nahoum said in a complaint that Betar USA should be removed from the WZC election for violations of ethical standards after the group made a comment in response to a February 20 social media post about Palestinian children allegedly killed in the Israel-Hamas War, saying, “Not enough. We demand blood in Gaza!”
THE ADL had added Betar USA to a list of extremist groups, lambasting it for its aggressive protests and inciting images, with Betar suggesting that the timing of the ADL listing and Kol Israel complaints were not coincidental. Torossian noted that the second candidate on Kol Israel's list is ADL New York/New Jersey director Scott Richman.
Betar claimed that it was Davidai that had threatened their slate, allegedly telling them to back down or their "organization is going down." ZOA also said that Davidai had denigrated Betar as terrorists.
"The case represents not only a legal battle, but an ideological clash over the future of Zionism and Jewish leadership," said Torossian. "At its core, it asks a deeper question: "Who gets to define Jewish strength, leadership, and representation in the 21st century?"
