EU mulls cancelling speeches at Europe Day event in Israel attended by far-right minister

European Union officials are debating whether to cancel speeches at a reception to mark Europe Day in Israel on Tuesday as the local government is to be represented by the far-right Minister for National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir.

EU delegations around the world will on Tuesday host events to celebrate Europe Day, which marks the anniversary of the 9 May 1950 Schuman declaration in which the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community was first proposed. 

Ambassadors from member states as well as representatives of local governments are traditionally invited. 

The invitation to the government by the EU delegation to Israel was over the weekend accepted by Ben-Gvir, leader of the ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit party, whose six seats in the Knesset are propping up the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We are now consulting internally and also with our member states on how to handle the situation because we don’t endorse the political views of Mr. Ben-Gvir, we don’t endorse the political views of his party because they are in stark contradiction with all the values and principles the European Union stands for and believes in,” a spokesperson for the European Commission told reporters on Monday.

“We are consulting internally — so here internally in Brussels — and also with our member states and also on the ground.

“We will see what the outcome of the situation of the discussions will be. And then if necessary, we will share them also in public.” the spokesperson added. 

The minister, who has responsibility over the country’s law enforcement agencies including the Border Police in the occupied West Bank, was in 2007 convicted for incitement to racism against Arabs and support for an organisation deemed a terrorist group by both Israel and the US.

In a statement widely quoted by Israeli media, Ben-Gvir defended his right to deliver a speech over the weekend, writing that “the minister believes that even if EU representatives ‘do not endorse [his] political views,’ as they said in their statement, they understand very well that Israel is a democracy, and in a democracy, one can hear different views.”

“Among other things, the minister will speak about the importance of the joint war on terrorism, will congratulate the European countries, will call for the strengthening of cooperation and will emphasize the need to unite around the fight against jihad and terrorists, and at the same time will point out that it is appropriate that the countries not finance projects against IDF soldiers and Israeli residents,” the statement also read.