Youngest-ever KKL-JNF chair vows to cut waste, mend fences and rebuild trust

Eyal Ostrinsky, the newly appointed youngest-ever chairman of the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), has pledged to reform the organization by cutting waste and fostering internal reconciliation. His leadership marks a significant shift in the JNF's operational priorities.

Ostrinsky explicitly stated that the KKL-JNF will no longer engage in the purchase of land in the West Bank. Furthermore, the organization will cease funding projects specifically aimed at right-wing settler youth. This decision signals a departure from previous policies and a redirection of resources.

Instead, Ostrinsky emphasized a return to the JNF's more traditional mandates. His focus will be on core activities such as forestry initiatives and bolstering development in Israel's peripheral regions. This approach aims to realign the organization with its historical mission and broaden its appeal.

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The organization won't buy West Bank land or fund projects for right-wing settler youth, claiming his priorities are more traditional -- forestry and boosting populations in the periphery.