since the founding of israel, there have also been many accusations of baháʼís being associated with zionism, largely on the grounds that the baháʼí world centre is located in current-day israel, although this is an historic accident, rather than the result of deliberate action by the baha'is. the baháʼí world centre has its historical origins in the area that was at the time part of ottoman syria. this dates back to the 1850s and 1860s and the repeated forced exiles of baha'i leaders.