Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli canceled his attendance at a European Union Parliament International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration event in Brussels due to a letter from hostage family members urging MEPs to rescind the invitation, rather than security concerns or legal threats from anti-Israel organizations, a source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post.
Chikli had been set to give a Tuesday address at the “Never Again? Indoctrinating Hatred of Jews: What has Changed in 80 years?” event hosted by MEPs Andrey Kovatchev and Lukas Mandl.
According to Haaretz, a letter to Kovatchev and Mandl, signed by 41 hostage family members and relatives of October 7 victims, and 32 European Jewish community leaders, stated that Chikli was unsuitable for the occasion.
Chikli had voted against the hostage and ceasefire deal in a January 17 cabinet meeting. In July, the minister had told KAN Reshet Bet that National Rally president Marine Le Pen would be an excellent president for Israel.
The letter asserted that Chikli’s opposition to the ongoing deal between Israel and Hamas and his backing of controversial right-wing European politicians made him an inappropriate representative for remembering the Holocaust and the values of empathy and solidarity.
Chikli had voted against the hostage-ceasefire deal in a January 17 cabinet meeting. In July, the minister had told KAN Reshet Bet that National Rally former president Marine Le Pen would be an excellent president for Israel.
The claim that the letter led to the cancellation of Chikli’s attendance was in contrast with the official line that he was advised by Israeli security services not to attend the event.
“I regret to inform you that I received instructions from security elements tonight to cancel my participation in the IHRD events at the European Parliament,” Chikli announced on X/Twitter Sunday. “It is unfortunate that Brussels, the capital of Europe, has become an unsafe place for Jews and Israelis.”
While the Prime Minister’s Office said there were “concrete warnings,” Kan reported on Monday there was no immediate threat or danger to the minister, but that Belgian officials had told Chikli that he would not enjoy diplomatic immunity because it was not an official visit.
Hind Rajab Foundation makes claims
The Hind Rajab Foundation claimed on X on Monday that its legal action against Chikli in Brussels was the reason for the cancellation. “We are convinced that this decision has more to do with avoiding justice and legal action,” said HRF.
On Tuesday, HRF, which has risen to prominence with a doxing and lawfare campaign against traveling IDF soldiers and reservists, published the content of its criminal complaint.
HRF founder and Belgian citizen Dyab Abou Jahjah accused Chikli of making terrorist threats against him during a January social media exchange. The minister had mocked Abou Jahjah – who has connections to Hezbollah and told The New York Times in 2003 that he was a member of the group – telling him, “watch your pager.”
In September, the Mossad reportedly detonated sabotaged pagers in the possession of the Lebanese terrorist organization, ravaging its members.
“By evoking this event, Mr. Chikli threatens Mr. Abou Jahjah with death or at least with the intentional infliction of blows and injuries resulting in mutilation, with the unmistakable intention of intimidating him and instilling fear to compel him to cease his activities aimed at the effective prosecution of international crimes committed by Israeli soldiers during the war in Gaza,” HRF said in a statement.
“The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed this complaint to assert the principle that terrorism, even when wielded by high-ranking officials, will not be tolerated.”