Tzipi Hotovely greeted by walkout after appearing at Limmud
Around 30 attendees stage protest at appearance of Israeli ambassador to the UK at the annual Jewish festival
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Tzipi Hotovely’s appearance at this year’s Limmud has prompted a protest and walk-out by around 30 attendees to the annual festival.
The Israeli ambassador to the UK appeared at a session on Monday, where she was questioned by Board of Deputies chief executive Michael Wegier about the war against Hamas in Gaza, and on criticism of the Benjamin Netanyahu government nearly 15 months after the October 7 Hamas attacks.
As she began her talk in one of the largest conference rooms at the event in Birmingham, a group of young Limmud attendees, most, but not all of whom, were connected to the Na’amod organisation held aloft signs, one of which read “14,000 Children Killed”.
Festival goers also appeared to snub the event, as the room was less than half full as Hotovely answered questions.
Jewish News spoke with two of those who joined the protest, who stressed their view that the war in Gaza had seen too many innocent people, including children killed, in the pursuit of Hamas terrorists.
They asked not to be identified for fear of condemnation and malicious attacks.
In a statement Na’amod said later:”There should be no space in the Jewish community for war crime apologists and racists.
“Na’amod will continue to stand up for freedom, justice and equality for all Palestinians and Israelis.”
Adam Rossano, Executive Director of Limmud: “Limmud is committed to its values of Diversity, Learning and Arguments for the Sake of Heaven, which ensures that there is space for the broad spectrum of views that exist in our community to be reflected, with healthy disagreement and rigorous debate encouraged.
“The UK Jewish community has a wide range of relationships with Israel and we want all of those to have a home at Limmud Festival – it is what enables dialogue across lines of difference and a deepening understanding of one another.
“Tzipi Hotovely was invited as a representative of the Israeli government – part of a large and varied array of Israel programming, with Israeli artists, educators and performers from across the political spectrum, hostage families, survivors of October 7th, Palestinians and more. ”
As expected Hotovely continued to mount a strong defence of Israel’s war in Gaza.
She was also pressed by Wegier on the attempts by the Netanyahu government to resist an official probe into his response to the threat posed by Hamas in the run up to, and on the day of the October 7 atrocity.
Na’amod have been allowed to stage a series of sessions at this year’s Limmud Festival 2024, attracting criticism from some regulars at the annoul event.
“I feel very strongly against Tzipi Hotovely,” said on regular Limmud participant to Jewish News. “There was no mention from her of ministers like Smotrich, or of the radicalisation of the Israeli government.
“But I don’t do what the anti-Zionist Na’amod do, which is pretend to be Zionist or non-Zionist, which in actual fact they don’t want Israel at all.”
Over 2000 people are attending this year’s Limmud, with some attending their 15th festival.
At least five different Shabbat servicees were held including an orthodox, egalitarian and a humanist one over the weekend.
Many of the sessions involved non contentious themes around Jewish culture and identity.
CST provided security at the event.
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