Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli (Likud) and French far-right leader Jordan Bardella (National Rally) met in Washington, DC on Friday, where they discussed topics such as the global fight against Islamist terrorism and antisemitism.
“Franco-Israeli relations, the international fight against Islamist terrorism and antisemitism, future joint projects with @PatriotesEurope: fruitful exchanges during our meeting in Washington with @AmichaiChikli, Israeli Minister for the Diaspora,” Bardella shared in a post on X/Twitter.
Chikli spoke about working together with right-wing and far-right European parties at the 50th annual Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem last week.
"Antisemitism is a growing problem in Europe due to Muslim immigration,” he said. “The European right-wing parties have a point because they realize the problem and are presenting a solution.”
"They understand the challenge of radical Islam, and they are willing to take the necessary steps,” Chikli added. “So many countries have it completely wrong. Look at the UK, for example; I'm not sure that what is happening there is reversible. These countries need to get a hold of the problem."
While in Washington, Chikli was also seen with GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21) and leader of far-right Spanish party VOX Santiago Abascal.
“It's always a pleasure to meet my good friend @AmichaiChikli, Minister of Diaspora of Israel. We are united, in addition to friendship, by our unwavering commitment to the defense of freedom and truth as pillars of our Western civilization,” Abascal wrote on X/Twitter.
Chikli also met with New York City leadership
Additionally, Chikli—who is also the minister of combating antisemitism—shared that he visited New York City, which is home to about 1.5 million Jews.
“Against the backdrop of a staggering 360% rise in antisemitic incidents—and just hours after yet another violent attack on Jewish residents in Brooklyn’s Borough Park—we met with New York City leadership and the city’s antisemitism task force to strengthen collaboration in the fight against antisemitism,” he wrote.
“Among the key initiatives agreed upon were advancing a delegation of NYPD officers for specialized training in combating antisemitism and terrorism, organizing delegations of emergency medical teams, and expanding Holocaust education in the city’s public schools,” Chikli added.
Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.