Israeli Minister Invites Tommy Robinson, Sparks Backlash

Israel’s Diaspora minister Amichai Chikli invited far‑right activist Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley‑Lennon) to visit Israel in mid‑October, praising him as a 'courageous leader' and a friend of Israel. The invitation followed a terror attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur that left two people dead. The move provoked sharp backlash from British Jewish groups, including the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council, and criticism from senior figures such as Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and Sunder Katwala, who said the invitation was irresponsible and risked 'sowing division.' Robinson, who has a record of convictions, deportations and leading controversial anti‑Islam rallies, has accepted the invitation and continues to portray himself as a Zionist ally of Israel. Israeli officials framed the visit as an act of solidarity with UK Jews, but critics warn that legitimising a divisive figure could inflame tensions and undermine efforts to tackle Islamist extremism and community cohesion.