The European Union on Monday announced that it has canceled its Europe Day celebration in Tel Aviv due to the scheduled attendance of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) as a representative of the government.
“The EU Delegation to Israel is looking forward to celebrating Europe Day on May 9, as it does every year,” the EU said in a statement. “Regrettably, this year we have decided to cancel the diplomatic reception, as we do not want to offer a platform to someone whose views contradict the values the European Union stands for. ”
“However, the Europe Day cultural event for the Israeli public will be maintained to celebrate with our friends and partners in Israel the strong and constructive bilateral relationship.”
Ben-Gvir responded to the statement by writing: “It’s a shame that the EU, which claims to represent multiculturalism instead practices silencing. It is an honor for me to represent the Israeli government, the heroic IDF, and the people of Israel in every forum. Real friends know how to voice criticism and how to hear it as well.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
What values?! Europe’s soil is soaked with Jewish blood from the crusades, massacre after massacre, pogrom after pogrom, tach v’tat the holocaust and more. Don’t lecture anyone about values! Stay in Europe! We don’t need your filthy feet on the soil of Eretzainu Hakodesh.
I dont think they should cancel Ben Gvir, but the idea that one shouldnt cancel people who they disagree with seems to have caught on with the our community, so a word about that.
There is nothing wrong with Canceling someone.
The problem is WHO you are canceling.
Would you allow Hitler, Stalin, and the like to speak because “every opinion should be heard”?
That’s ridiculous.
Whom someone chooses to cancel, whom they feel has crossed the line, that is a clue as to their standards but the idea that reprehensible people shouldn’t be cancelled, (like the angels bakery dude) is wrong.
Good. Pardon my being but Israel isn’t yours EU. Go fishing Nazis
We have even more respect & admiration for Itamar ben Gvir, and even more revulsion & disgust for the heinous despicable behavior of the EU, disdaining the inner workings of another sovereign state.
This makes no sense at all, Ukraine has made the celebration of May 9th illegal and the EU is saying “us, now the so proud anti nazis” will not allow Israel officials to participate. And what are you implying here? It’s quite subjective…
Oh my gosh the sky is falling the EU is mad at isreal and it’s political leaders Nothing new here