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Despite criticism over its guest list and attempts to paint it as controversial, the International Convention Center in Jerusalem was packed last Thursday. Hundreds of ambassadors, public figures, rabbis, students, and influencers from more than 30 countries gathered for a global conference on antisemitism, hosted by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism.
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ANTISEMITISM SUMMIT
(ILTV)
The event, titled Ambassadors of Truth, focused on the sharp rise in antisemitism since the October 7 attacks and the need to build a united international response.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, former U.S. Ambassador David Friedman, and Australian journalist Erin Molan were among the keynote speakers.
The controversy centered on the participation of far-right politicians from Europe, including members of France’s National Rally, Spain’s Vox party, and the Sweden Democrats.
However, in a press briefing, Minister Amichai Chikli defended the decision to include them. He said Israel should judge these parties by their current actions, not their pasts—while remaining vigilant.
“Actions speak louder than words, and that is how we decide how to address these parties,” Chikli said.
In response to a question from ILTV News, Chikli emphasized the need for Israel to move beyond traditional hasbara and focus instead on reshaping the narrative.
“One thing to invest in and to push forward, I think, is we don't need to invest in what we call hasbara. I think that we are the only one in the world, the only state that has this term, has to explain ourselves,” Chikli said. “We don't need to explain ourselves. And I think that also we need to get rid of some of the old mantras. ‘Israel has a right to defend itself’—if you say it only about Israel, every state, it goes without saying, it's normal. Obviously, we have the right to defend ourselves. That's obvious. That goes without saying.”
He added that “we need to invest in identifying the engines of antisemitism, to address the engines and to make it more difficult for them to operate. We need to say the truth, to say the truth, to fight those who spread lies against the State of Israel.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke, warning that antisemitism is no longer hiding on the fringes—it’s spreading through the core of Western society. However, he said he believes that the situation is about to change.
“Our tormentors are now undergoing a change of perception,” Netanyahu said. “They realize a simple truth: We are no longer powerless. We are no longer weak.”
The conference marked the end of two packed days of events. International guests toured the Gaza border and parts of the West Bank, visiting sites affected by the October 7 attacks.