Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, has decided to pull out of an upcoming Israeli conference on antisemitism. This event is set to include several political figures who are associated with what many consider far-right ideologies.
Rabbi Mirvis’s spokesperson, in a conversation with Israel’s Kan News, clarified his decision. “After I was notified of the presence of several populist politicians at the conference, the Chief Rabbi will no longer be participating.”
The event, organized by Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, is intended to bring together individuals from a wide range of political viewpoints.
Nevertheless, it has become a subject of controversy, largely due to the inclusion of people like Jordan Bardella, the leader of France’s National Rally. The party has historical ties to Holocaust denial and Nazi sympathizers, although Bardella has distanced the group from this legacy.
Also attending is Marion Maréchal, granddaughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the National Rally’s founder, who is known for perpetuating far-right ideologies. She will represent a faction that aims to continue his political path. Additionally, Hermann Tertsch from Spain’s Vox party, which has been criticized for harboring neo-Nazi factions, will take part in the conference.
This conference reflects a broader shift in Israeli foreign policy, which has moved toward engaging with far-right parties in nations such as France, Spain, and Sweden, despite their controversial pasts and connections to extremist movements. Many members of the Jewish community have expressed concern that these alliances could weaken the efforts to fight antisemitism.
Rabbi Mirvis joins a growing list of prominent figures who have chosen to back out of the event. Others who have canceled include Lord John Mann, Professor David Hirsh, philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations William Daroff, and various German officials.
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