UK communal leaders ignore calls to boycott meeting with Israeli minister

Communal leaders – including representatives from Reform and Liberal Judaism – have agreed to attend a round-table meeting with Israeli diaspora minister Amichai Chikli in London next week, pledging to raise widespread concerns about the direction of the Benjamin Netanyahu government.

Jewish News understands that the only group to so far decline an invitation to meet with the controversial Israeli politician on September 5th are Yachad.

They accuse Chikli of promoting “vitriol” against protesters opposing Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul, and cite his record of speaking out against LGBT equality, and accuse him of spreading conspiracy theories and anti-Palestinian rhetoric.

Leaders of the Defend Israeli Democracy group in the UK, who have staged a series of protests in this country against the Israeli government, had previously written to communal groups here urging them to consider boycotting the meeting with Chikli.

But representatives from the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council, the Community Security Trust and the United Synagogue are among those expected to take their seats at next week’s meeting, along with officials from the merging Reform and Liberal sector, and from Masorti Judaism.

A further Rosh Hashanah drinks reception is also scheduled to take place as part of the Israeli minister’s visit to the UK, with involvement from the Israeli embassy in the UK.

Jewish News understands that some communal organisations are expected to decline their invitations to attend this event over concerns it will be used as a PR opportunity by the Netanyahu government.

Confirming their decision to attend the round-table meeting, a spokesperson for the JLC said:”We will be attending a roundtable with the diaspora minister when he visits London next week.

“We will be discussing matters relating to his portfolio and as always, we will relay the views of our community.”

Explaining their decision to boycott the meeting a spokesperson for Yachad said:”We have been invited to meet with the Minister, and we have declined.

“During his time as Minister, Mr Chikli has been active in promoting vitriol against pro-democracy protesters, has supported spreading of George Soros related conspiracy theories, has spoken out against LGBTQ equality, and promoted anti-Palestinian rhetoric.

“We’re certain that some of our communal leaders will raise these issues. Still, by meeting with a representative of the most far-right government in Israel’s history, we risk being used in this government’s political narrative: that despite protests, things abroad are ‘business as usual’.

“The Minister has already met with UK communal leaders earlier this year – their words and concerns were ignored. Therefore, we don’t believe engagement will be fruitful.

“We often meet people that we disagree with across the political spectrum and will continue to do so. But we believe that this government, and indeed this Minister, have crossed a red line. We will not help to whitewash their actions.”

But in a joint statement the Movement for Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism confirmed that “after discussions with partners in Israel” their CEOs Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky had decided to accept an invitation to meet with Chikli.

“Our movements contain thousands of British Progressive Jews who are concerned about Israel’s future as a democracy and the extreme language and policies of its current government,” they added. “We are meeting with Amichai Chikli to raise these matters directly.

“We intend to raise a number of issues including 1) the judicial overhaul that is weakening the democratic character of the Jewish State; 2) the fanaticism and racism presented in the inflammatory language of many ministers; 3) confrontational remarks about non-Orthodox Jews and Judaism; 4) the incitement against minorities including women, Arabs and the LGBQI+ community; 5) the lack of equal rights for, and violence against, Palestinians.”

Another communal source, who asked not to be named, also defended the decision to ignore calls to boycott next week’s meeting.

They told Jewish News:”If one does not attend the meeting with minister Chikli you miss out on an opportunity to express just how much anger there is amongst some of the UK Jewish community about the direction now being taken by the Netanyahu government.

“You can also make clear to Mr Chikli just how offensive some of his previous statements are to some members of our community.”

But the same source added:”Of course there is the very real risk that the round-table meeting will be exploited by the Netanyahu government as proof that the UK community is not nearly as opposed to them as is claimed. This is indeed a very big risk.

“All you can do is make sure that after the meeting, it is widely known that you have expressed, in polite, but frank terms, how much concern there is in this country about where Israel is heading at the moment.”

In the past Chikli has also issued a series of scathing remarks about reform Judaism including claims the movement has “identified with the radical left.”

He also once said:” I have a problem with the trend of Reform Jews seeking to assimilate and affiliate themselves with groups who are anti-Israel.”

He added he believed the Reform Movement “are going back to their roots in Germany of anti-Zionism and anti-nationalism.”

Chikli’s views on the LGBT+ community have been similarly harsh. He described Tel Aviv’s Pride Parade a “disgraceful vulgarity” in a Facebook post, and said he believes sexual identity should be “subdued.

In the past Chikli has openly defended those who criticise the Jewish philanthropist George Soros, despite claims of antisemitic intent.

He tweeted earlier this year: “Criticism of Soros – who finances the most hostile organisations to the Jewish people and the state of Israel is anything but antisemitism, quite the opposite!”

Chikli has also targeted the liberal American organisation J Street with claims it is “hostile” to Israel.

In a new article for the Jerusalem Post, Board president Marie van der Zyl and chief executive Michael Wegeir praised the “extraordinary display of grassroots democratic activism” from those who had joined the protests against the Israeli government inside the Jewish state, and across the globe, including in the UK.

A spokesperson for the Defend Israeli Deomcracy UK group said they were “delighted” the Board was “showing support for the pro-democracy protests.”

Jewish News has approached the Board and the CST for further comment.