French philosopher and writer Bernard-Henri Lévy has cancelled his participation in an international  conference ion combating antisemitism in Israel scheduled for the end of this month, following the announcement that Jordan Bardella, President of the French far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally) party, would be attending the same event.

The conference will take place on March 26 and 27 in Jerusalem.

BHL was due to give an opening speech at the conference on anti-Semitism organized by Israeli Minister for the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli.

The philosopher, who is a fervent defender of Israel, decided not to attend after learning that Jordan Bardella and Marion Maréchal, another French far-right leader, were also among the guests.

Jordan Bardella’s invitation to the event, described as “historic” by the National Rally, marks a turning point in relations between this party and Israeli institutions.

Until now, the party, which is led by Marine Le Pen who transformed the former National Front Front founded by her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, has been so far largely sidelined by Jewish representative bodies in France and considered persona non grata in Israel, not least because of the anti-Semitic and Holocaust-denying statements made by several of its top executives from its inception until the early 2010s.

The conference on anti-Semitism is set to take place with the participation of many other international personalities.

Bardella, who is also chairman of the Patriots in the European Parliament, a political grouping of far-right parties in Europe, will give a speech on the rise of anti-Semitism in France since October 7, 2023.

He had met Minister Amichai Chikli at the CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) in Washington last February.

Source: EJPress