Several German figures have pulled out from an upcoming international conference against antisemitism in Israel in protest over the presence of far-right political figures.
Germany's Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight Against Antisemitism, Felix Klein, has withdrawn from the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem set for March 2025.
Klein's move follows revelations that several prominent far-right European figures, including leaders from France, Hungary, and Spain, had been invited to the event.
The controversial invitees include Jordan Bardella, the leader of the far-right National Rally party in France, Hermann Tertsch from Spain's far-right Vox party, and MEPs from the Sweden Democrats and Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, all of whom have been accused of promoting nationalism and anti-immigrant rhetoric.
French nationalist party leaders Bardella and Marine Le Pen have been condemned for fuelling racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism during electoral campaigns.
Le Pen has been slammed for "de-demonising" the movement launched in 1972 by her father, Jean Marie Le Pen, a serial polemicist who branded the Nazi gas chambers a "detail" of history, claimed AIDS patients should be treated "like lepers" and warned of a Muslim takeover of France.
In Spain, Vox candidates have rallied under the slogan ‘Make Spain Great Again’ behind the leadership of Santiago Abascal. The party has been consistently condemned by anti-racism organisations and the Union of Islamic Communities of Spain after repeatedly calling for the expulsion of Muslims, labelling them as "invaders" and using slurs against North African and Black communities.
Klein's office told Haaretz that he had been unaware of the guest list when initially accepting the invitation. However, upon learning that figures from European far-right movements would be in attendance, Klein made the decision to pull out.
French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, who was expected to deliver the keynote address, also withdrew after discovering Bardella’s attendance.
Volker Beck, president of the Germany-Israel Friendship Society (DIG) and former Green Party parliamentarian, also pulled out of the event.
He posted on social media: "The fight against antisemitism and solidarity with the Jewish and Democratic State must be the issue of all democratic currents. I do not find this approach reflected in this program."
The German activist has long been a critic of the far-right and argued that such associations would weaken the shared fight against antisemitism within European societies.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Isaac Herzog, are still expected to attend, and various Jewish organisations are planning to participate, including the Anti-Defamation League and UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.
Despite the backlash, the Israeli government has yet to comment on the controversies surrounding the guest list. According to Haaretz, the President’s Residence was "surprised" to learn of the attendees given the conference’s stated aim of combating antisemitism.
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