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Chief Rabbi withdraws from Israeli antisemitism conference over far-right participation
Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister had invited controversial figures from European political parties
March 17, 2025 15:41
Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister had invited controversial figures from European political parties
March 17, 2025 15:41Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis has cancelled his participation at an Israeli government-organised conference on antisemitism over concerns about the attendance of far-right populist European politicians.
Lord John Mann, Professor David Hirsh, French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy and several German officials also cancelled their participation in the Israeli government-organised conference on combating antisemitism following concerns over the inclusion of far-right European political figures on the guest list.
The event, scheduled for March 26 and 27, is being organised by Israel’s Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli.
There had been growing concerns about conference invitations sent to prominent far-right political figures including Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right French National Rally party; Marion Marechal, a far-right French Member of the European Parliament; and Hermann Tertsch, a far-right Spanish Member of the European Parliament.
Bardella, 29, would be the first representative of the National Rally to visit Israel on an official trip. The party was officially recognised by Israel’s Foreign Ministry last year.
In a statement to the JC, a spokesman for the office of the Chief Rabbi said: “Having been made aware of the attendance of a number of far-right populist politicians at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, the Chief Rabbi will no longer be attending.”
Chikli has previously faced criticism for his efforts to strengthen Israel’s ties with Europe’s far-right parties, which had been boycotted due to their associations with antisemitism and Nazism.
Last month, the Diaspora Minister said there was “no more pathetic doormat” than Sir Keir Starmer after the British Prime Minister made no mention of Hamas in a statement about former hostage Eli Sharabi’s release from captivity.
Lévy, a renowned French public intellectual and staunch supporter of Israel, had been scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the event hosted by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. He told Le Monde that he had informed Herzog that he could no longer attend due to the participation of far-right guests.
Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight Against Antisemitism, “has decided not to attend,” his representatives told Haaretz.
“He was unaware of the other attendees when he accepted the invitation, and upon learning who the other speakers were, he decided to withdraw.”
Officials at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, where the event is to be hosted, expressed surprise upon learning of the invitees. They told Haaretz they were “surprised to hear who the invitees were, as it was clarified that the purpose of the conference is combating antisemitism”.
They added they had not yet received the final guest list but would review it once it was available. The conference marks the first time members of Europe’s far-right have been invited to an official Israeli government event.