Amichai Chikli invited far-right politicians to an antisemitism conference. No one is happy.

A forthcoming International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, organized by Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, has ignited a firestorm of criticism due to the inclusion of far-right European politicians with histories tied to antisemitism. Scheduled for March 26-27 in Jerusalem, the event marks a significant shift in Israeli policy, ending a decades-long boycott of certain far-right parties in Sweden, France, and Spain—a move that has alarmed Jewish leaders worldwide and prompted high-profile withdrawals.

Among the invited speakers is Jordan Bardella, president of France’s National Rally (RN), a party founded in 1972 as the National Front by Holocaust denier Jean-Marie Le Pen and a former Nazi Waffen-SS officer. Bardella, set to address antisemitism since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, has sought to distance RN from its antisemitic roots, a process accelerated under Marine Le Pen’s leadership. “My presence in Jerusalem demonstrates our absolute commitment to this fight,” Bardella told Le Journal du Dimanche. “RN is no longer the National Front.” Yet, his party’s past continues to fuel skepticism.

Other attendees include Marion Maréchal, Le Pen’s granddaughter and leader of a rival far-right French faction, and Hermann Tertsch of Spain’s Vox party, criticized for embracing neo-Nazis. Tertsch’s father was an Austrian Nazi leader in Spain, and Chikli himself spoke at Vox’s convention last year. Politicians from far-right parties in Sweden and the Netherlands are also on the roster, signaling what Chikli calls a pragmatic alliance against “surging Muslim influence” in Europe.

“Antisemitism is a growing problem in Europe due to Muslim immigration,” Chikli told American Jewish leaders in February, per The Jerusalem Post. “The European right-wing parties have a point… They understand the challenge of radical Islam and are willing to take the necessary steps.” This stance underpins Israel’s decision to engage with parties it once shunned, though the boycott remains for far-right groups in Austria and Germany, such as Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), whose recent electoral gains were marred by Nazi-echoing chants.

The conference, featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog alongside figures like ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, was meant to unite global voices against antisemitism. Instead, it has fractured support. Germany’s antisemitism commissioner Felix Klein was the first to pull out on March 21, followed by French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, and Greenblatt himself. Israel’s own antisemitism envoy, Michal Cotler-Wunsh, expressed dismay, telling the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Chikli never consulted her or major Jewish organizations. “The lack of consultation with Jewish communities was a big, big oversight,” she said on March 20 in New York.

Cotler-Wunsh will attend an opening event at Herzog’s residence—where far-right leaders are excluded—but skip the main conference. Her absence underscores a rift between Israel’s government and Diaspora Jews, many of whom view these parties as threats despite their pro-Israel stances. The Diaspora Ministry defended Chikli, calling Cotler-Wunsh’s claims “inaccurate” and noting they invited her to lead a session, which she declined. “We are in contact with Jewish communities,” a spokesperson said, adding that some European Jews support far-right parties, even if umbrella organizations don’t.

The backlash highlights a broader debate: Can Israel ally with groups historically linked to antisemitism to combat its modern forms? Chikli argues yes, framing radical Islam as the primary driver of Jew-hatred today. Critics, including European Jewish Congress president Ariel Muzicant, see it as a betrayal. “Inviting these figures undermines decades of fighting antisemitism and Holocaust denial,” Muzicant told The Jerusalem Post on March 17.

As withdrawals mount, the conference’s future hangs in balance. Herzog has offered a compromise—a private meeting with Jewish leaders sans far-right guests—but the damage may be done.

JNS contributed to this article.