Importance Score: 72 / 100 🔴
Antisemitism Conference in Jerusalem Faces Boycott Over Far-Right Invitations
JERUSALEM – A recent international conference convened in Jerusalem to address antisemitism was met with controversy and notable absences as prominent figures, including several Jewish leaders, declined to participate. Their boycott was a direct response to the inclusion of political representatives from various European nations who have affiliations with far-right ideologies.
Boycott by Key Figures
Among those who chose not to attend the antisemitism conference were Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom. Their absence underscored the deep concerns surrounding the event’s inclusivity.
Netanyahu’s Warning on Rising Antisemitism
Despite the boycott, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the conference, delivering a stark warning about escalating antisemitism. He cautioned that Europe risked mirroring the unchecked proliferation of antisemitism that preceded the Nazi Holocaust.
“Racial antisemitism is inciting a global war against the existence of the Jews as a race that poisons human societies,” Netanyahu stated, quoting his father’s writings from 1933. He added, “Today, we issue a similar warning. The fate of free societies is intertwined with the resolve to combat the scourge of antisemitism.”
Controversy Over Far-Right Party Representation
The contentious element of the Jerusalem conference was the invitation extended to representatives from European far-right parties, including France’s National Rally, Spain’s Vox, and the Sweden Democrats.
Lord Mann, the UK government’s advisor on antisemitism, rejected his invitation, stating, “There is nothing for the UK to learn about tackling antisemitism from some of these characters.”
Chief Rabbi Mirvis’s office released a statement explaining his decision to abstain, citing “the attendance of a number of far-right populist politicians.”
President Herzog opted to host a separate event with Jewish leaders, perceived as a conciliatory gesture in light of the controversy.
Minister Chikli’s Rationale
The conference was organized by Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister and a vocal member of the right-wing Likud party. Chikli has been actively cultivating relationships with far-right parties across Europe in recent months.
He defended the inclusion of these politicians, asserting that they were victims of “lies spread against them by those who slander the State of Israel worldwide.”
Notably, last year Chikli met with the Sweden Democrat leader in Jerusalem and participated as a speaker at a Vox conference in Madrid.
Focus on National Rally’s Jordan Bardella
Among the attendees causing unease was Jordan Bardella, President of the National Rally. His party’s origins trace back to Jean-Marie Le Pen, who faced accusations of antisemitism and was convicted of Holocaust denial.
Jean-Marie Le Pen was expelled from the National Front (later renamed National Rally) by his daughter Marine Le Pen in 2015 due to his remarks minimizing the Holocaust as a “detail” of history. However, following his death in January, Marine Le Pen expressed regret over his expulsion.
Bardella, a rising figure within the French right, acknowledged the “eminent symbolic significance” of his invitation to Israel during his address.
While not directly addressing his party’s past, he pledged its commitment under Marine Le Pen’s leadership in parliament.
“I would like to convey with utmost sincerity that through its stances, proposals, and unwavering stance against this menace, the National Rally, under Marine Le Pen’s guidance, stands as the foremost protector of French Jews,” Bardella stated.
He further warned, “Islamism embodies the totalitarianism of the 21st century. It threatens to eradicate everything dissimilar,” echoing his party’s frequent assertion of an “Islamist threat” facing France.
Prior to the conference, Bardella visited sites affected by the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, and Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial.
Conference Themes: Israel and International Scrutiny
The international conference on antisemitism also highlighted Israel’s perception of being targeted by segments of the international community. Panel discussions addressed topics such as:
- Addressing Anti-Israel Bias in International Institutions
- How Radical Islam Fuels Antisemitism in the West?
- Double Standards, From the Battlefield to the ICC
ICC Arrest Warrants and Israeli Outrage
The International Criminal Court (ICC) recently issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant concerning alleged war crimes against Palestinians.
This action sparked outrage across Israel, with accusations that the ICC itself was motivated by antisemitism.