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"In Europe, we fight to keep extremist parties out of the mainstream, yet in Israel, politicians invite them, mistakenly believing these parties support Israel. They do not. These parties seek legitimacy, and I cannot understand why an Israeli minister would provide them with such validation," said Ariel Muzicant (73), president of the European Jewish Congress and vice president of the World Jewish Congress, in frustration.
Muzicant, a devoted supporter of Israel, voiced his anger over Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli’s decision to invite representatives of far-right European parties to an antisemitism conference scheduled for March 26–27 in Jerusalem. "This is a morally indefensible position, and it is an insult to all those who survived in Europe after 1945 and have been fighting antisemitism and Holocaust denial," Muzicant explained. "It’s also a mistake to think that inviting them would earn their support."
Muzicant, like many leaders of Jewish communities in Europe, was shocked by the announcement from Jordan Bardella, president of France’s far-right National Rally party, that he had been invited to the conference.
Other guests will include Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, a member of the European Parliament from the far-right independent group "Identity and Freedom" and granddaughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the National Front party; Hermann Tertsch, a European Parliament member from Spain's nationalist right-wing party VOX; Charlie Weimers, a European Parliament member from the far-right Sweden Democrats; and Kinga Gál from Hungary’s ruling Fidesz (Hungarian Civic Alliance) party. Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, is also expected to address the conference.
Hard to justify support for Israel when the minister invites parties with racist and fascist agendas
In response to the controversial guest list, several prominent figures canceled their participation: Felix Klein, Germany’s commissioner for Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism; Volker Beck, former member of the German parliament and president of the German-Israeli Friendship Association; and Jewish-French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, who was set to deliver the keynote speech at a reception hosted by President Isaac Herzog.
According to Muzicant, the four largest Jewish organizations in the world—the American Jewish Committee (AJC), the European Jewish Congress (EJC), the World Jewish Congress (WJC), and the Conference of European Rabbis (CER)—plan to boycott the conference, leaving Minister Chikli likely isolated with his controversial guests.
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"95% of European Jews express solidarity with Israel, especially after October 7, and feel a deep need to support it in the wake of this tragedy. It becomes very hard to justify their support when an Israeli minister invites parties with racist and fascist agendas," said Muzicant. "The second and third generations in Europe are fighting Holocaust denial, yet many leaders of these parties have openly denied the Holocaust. I’m not saying Mr. Bardella or Ms. Maréchal-Le Pen are antisemitic, but many of their supporters certainly are."
Muzicant has a direct message for Minister Chikli: "He is putting the leaders of the French Jewish community, the largest in Europe, in an impossible position and showing them disrespect. They are caught between the far right and the far left. I would expect the Diaspora Minister to speak with my colleague Yonathan Arfi, president of the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France (CRIF), and understand that he is creating a major problem for the community, one that could divide it. Our Israeli partners—government ministers and Prime Minister Netanyahu—are stabbing us in the back."
This is a morally indefensible position, an insult to those who survived in Europe after 1945 and have been fighting antisemitism and Holocaust denial
Far-right parties are becoming increasingly integrated into mainstream politics in Europe, and Chikli’s approach is to establish connections with them now. "Chikli doesn’t understand the politics of Jewish communities," Muzicant said angrily. "For 50 years, I’ve been discussing with every Israeli president the importance of strengthening ties with the Diaspora. We must ensure there isn’t even the thinnest divide between us and Israel. Many Israelis don’t understand that in the next 30–40 years, we will lose about half of our community members. These communities supported Israel for decades, and 20 years ago, I told Netanyahu that now Israel needs to support them. Being a Zionist isn’t just about living in Israel."
Yonathan Arfi told Yedioth Ahronoth: "Some imagine that this approach will ease Israel’s political and diplomatic isolation. But in reality, the opposite will happen: it will amplify the demonization of Israel and Jews worldwide, not to mention the fact that it completely contradicts the policies of CRIF and Jewish organizations regarding European populist parties."