UK Jewish Leaders Condemn israeli Minister’s Invitation to Far-Right Activist Tommy Robinson
LONDON - Leading Jewish organizations in the UK have sharply criticized Israeli Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli for inviting far-right activist Tommy Robinson to a meeting, accusing the minister of failing to represent the concerns of british Jews. The invitation has sparked outrage given Robinson’s history of anti-Muslim rhetoric and association with antisemitic tropes.
the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council jointly stated that Chikli had “proven himself to be a diaspora minister in name only,” ignoring the overwhelming rejection of Robinson by the British Jewish community. “In our darkest hour, he has ignored the views of the vast majority of British Jews, who utterly and consistently reject Robinson and everything he stands for,” they added.
Labor friends of Israel echoed these concerns, calling on Chikli to rescind the invitation, citing Robinson’s multiple criminal convictions and asserting, “He’s no friend to the Jewish people. Amichai Chikli should withdraw this invitation now.”
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has a long and controversial history. He was formerly a member of the British National Party, a political organization with a history of antisemitism, and co-founded the english Defense League. Critics have accused him of exploiting concerns about antisemitism to fuel anti-Muslim sentiment.
In 2023,organizers of a march against antisemitism in Britain requested Robinson stay away. The US-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL) previously urged the Trump administration in 2018 to deny Robinson a visa.
further fueling the controversy, Robinson’s media platform, Urban Scoop, previously published a lengthy statement in 2022 titled “Tommy’s Statement: The Jewish Question,” which attempted to analyze antisemitic comments made by rapper Kanye West. While the original piece is no longer readily accessible on the site, reports indicate it explored claims of Jewish influence in media and entertainment, referencing pseudoscientific sources and asserting a higher average IQ for “white European Jews.”
The invitation from Minister Chikli has ignited a debate about the appropriate engagement with controversial figures and the obligation of diaspora ministers to represent the views of Jewish communities abroad.
