Just three days before the beginning of the BaSheva-sponsored 13th Jerusalem Conference, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon announced to organizers he will not attend as planned. The senior minister was among the major speakers who would address the forum. The conference is taking place in the Jerusalem Crown Plaza Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday, 23 and 24 Shevat.

The fear among the right-wing camp is that Ya’alon is planning to remove outposts in Yehuda and Shomron, or even worse, begin home demolitions as was reported earlier by YWN-ISRAEL. It is reported that dozens of homes built illegally throughout Yehuda and Shomron will soon be razed.

The Jerusalem Conference is the right-wing camp’s response to the Herzliya Conference. The Jerusalem Conference attracts major state officials including President Reuven Rivlin and Ya’alon was on the list of higher tier individuals who would address the forum. Other speakers include ministers from Likud and the Bayit Yehudi party, as well as opposition leader MK Herzog and Knesset faction heads including Yair Lapid.

The dati leumi Srugim News website adds Ya’alon is not the only speaker who has canceled. Author and radio/TV host Irit Linor, who is supposed to receive the conference’s Jerusalem Prize for the “Last Word” program has also informed organizers she will not attend, simply stating “This doesn’t interest me”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)