Overview
- Jordan Bardella, leader of France's Rassemblement National, is the first party head to be officially invited by the Israeli government, marking a symbolic moment in the party's rebranding efforts.
- Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem, Bardella linked the rise of antisemitism to migration and Islamist ideology, framing these as shared threats to France and Israel.
- During his visit, Bardella met with Israeli officials, including Knesset President Amir Ohana, and visited Yad Vashem and sites tied to the 2023 Hamas attack in Re’im.
- The visit has reignited debates about the Rassemblement National's historical ties to antisemitism under its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, despite Bardella's claims of the party's transformation.
- Prominent figures, including Ephraïm Mirvis and Jonathan Greenblatt, declined to attend the conference, criticizing the participation of far-right representatives like Bardella.