Isaac Herzog has offered to host a separate meeting without far-right leaders [GETTY]
Following the news that prominent far-right leaders had been invited to Israel’s conference on antisemitism, many high-profile Jewish and Israeli figures have announced their withdrawal from the event in protest.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has reportedly backed out of hosting the opening night of the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism.
He is set to only host Jewish attendees at the President’s Residence without the inclusion of far-right figures in an event not connected to the conference.
However, the ministry claims the event will be the conference’s opening night.
The conference, organised by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry, includes discussion panel featuring leaders from Jewish communities around the world.
However, many attendees backed out after finding out the event would be attended by far-right European politicians and people allegedly linked to Nazis and Holocaust deniers.
Attendees include Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right French National Rally Party, Marion Marachal, granddaughter of the late antisemite and Holocaust denier Jean-Marie Le Pen, Pedro Varela, a Nazi bookseller from Barcelona.
British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis backed out after being “made aware of the attendance of a number of far-right populist politicians” on Monday.
Lord John Mann, the UK government’s adviser on antisemitism, and British pro-Israeli activist David Hirsh announced they would not be attending, telling Times of Israel he was afraid hosting right-wing party members gave them a “Jewish stamp of approval”.
French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, who was meant to be the event’s keynote speaker, also backed out, along with Germany’s antisemitism czar, Felix Klein, and German politician Volker Beck.
The pro-Israeli US organisation Anti-Defamation League confirmed on Tuesday that its CEO Jonathan Greenblatt would not be attending over the participants – a day after his predecessor called for him to withdraw.
Notable figures who will still be attending include the chairman of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, Natan Sharansky and Yemen journalist and pro-Israel influencer Luai Ahmed.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman will also attend.
Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli has said he views Europe’s far-right parties as allies to counter the apparent rise of Muslim fundamentalism and antisemitism on the continent.
