Two leading organizations representing British Jewry have sharply condemned Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli for inviting British far-right activist Tommy Robinson to Israel, saying the move ignores the views of most British Jews and undermines efforts to combat extremism.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council described Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, as “a thug” who represents “the very worst of Britain.” Their statements followed Chikli’s announcement on Friday that Robinson had been invited to visit Israel this month, shortly after a terror attack on a Manchester synagogue.
In a post on the social media platform X, Chikli called Robinson “a courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam.” The minister said the visit would include meetings at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and a tour of “Judea and Samaria,” the term used by right-wing Israeli politicians to refer to the West Bank.
The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council said Robinson’s visit “undermines those genuinely working to tackle Islamist extremism and foster community cohesion.” The groups added that “Minister Chikli has proven himself to be a diaspora minister in name only. In our darkest hour, he has ignored the views of the vast majority of British Jews, who utterly and consistently reject Robinson and everything he stands for.”
Robinson, the founder of the far-right English Defence League, has long been accused of using his self-proclaimed role as an ally against antisemitism to promote anti-Muslim sentiment. He has also echoed far-right conspiracy theories such as the “Great Replacement,” which has antisemitic roots.
Robinson said he accepted Chikli’s invitation and that the Israeli government would cover the cost of his flight and hotel stay for several days. He said he plans to travel after a court appearance in Britain on Oct. 13.
Chikli, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, defended the decision, saying it is vital to strengthen alliances with figures who oppose radical Islam. “He is a courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam,” Chikli wrote. “He is a true friend of Israel and of the Jewish people.”
The invitation drew additional criticism from Labour Friends of Israel, a British parliamentary group, which called on Chikli to rescind it. “He’s no friend to the Jewish people. Amichai Chikli should withdraw this invitation now,” the group said in a statement, citing Robinson’s multiple criminal convictions.
In 2018, the Anti-Defamation League in the United States urged the Trump administration to reject a visa application by Robinson. He has previously been a member of the British National Party, a far-right movement historically associated with antisemitism.
Robinson’s media platform, Urban Scoop, previously published a lengthy 2022 post titled “Tommy’s Statement: The Jewish Question,” in which he repeated antisemitic stereotypes about Jewish influence in media and politics. The post has since been removed.
Robinson remains one of the most controversial figures in Britain’s far-right scene. His planned visit to Israel, backed by a sitting cabinet minister, has alarmed many within the country’s Jewish community, who say it risks giving legitimacy to a man long seen as promoting hate and division.