Michael Starr
Jerusalem Post, Mar. 23, 2025
“People were invited not because of their political orientation, but because they had come out after the October 7 massacre as strong proponents of Israel.”
The Israeli government had failed to coordinate with Jewish communities about the invitation of controversial right-wing European political leaders to Thursday’s International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, Diaspora Jewish leaders charged at the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs hearing on Sunday morning. However, the Diaspora Ministry argued that it had invited representatives from across the political spectrum and had operated according to the Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic relations parameters.
Muzicant said that it was important for the Israeli government to coordinate with European Jewish leaders as well as the disparate communities that had particular situations. Before inviting National Rally President Jordan Bardella, the Diaspora Ministry should have consulted with the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), explained Muzicant, as the Jewish body has refused interactions with the far Left or far Right.
ANTISEMITISM WAS not the only consideration when engaging with these parties, argued Muzicant, who contended that the participants invited to the conference did not respect democratic values such as an independent judiciary and free speech. …SOURCE