Europe’s far right in Jerusalem as ‘new friends’ of Israel
European politicians from the far right are gathering in Israel for a conference on anti-Semitism this week, sealing an alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that would have been unthinkable in the past.
Analysts say the invitation to parties that have themselves previously been accused of anti-Semitism demonstrates the willingness of Israel’s right – under pressure from some traditional allies over the war in Gaza – to cultivate new relationships with unlikely supporters.
“The current Israeli government sees the world in black and white,” Denis Charbit, a political scientist at the Open University of Israel, told the AFP news agency.
Some in Israel feel the country is currently isolated, and needs “new friends”, even if it deems them distasteful, he added.
France’s National Rally and Hungary’s Fidesz party are among the guests, along with other members of Europe’s far right.
“For progressive movements of Israel’s historic left, which doesn’t mobilise many people today, it’s obvious that these far-right parties are not allies,” Thomas Vescovi, a researcher at Paris’s School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, told AFP.
Israelis protest against the dismissals of Shin Bet chief and attorney general
Israeli media reports that thousands of people are protesting in Jerusalem against the government’s moves to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet security service, Ronen Bar, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
Yedioth Ahronoth reported that key opposition figure Benny Gantz joined the protesters.
Protesters demand the release of captives and oppose the Israeli government’s attempts to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Head of the Security Service Ronen Bar
