In a direct response to recent European sanctions targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, a special summit held today at the European Parliament in Strasbourg brought together dozens of European parliamentarians and senior conservative and right-wing party officials, where the Patriots for Europe faction formally allied itself with the State of Israel, defended Judea and Samaria, and rejected both international sanctions and escalating European antisemitism.
Patriots for Europe constitutes the third-largest political bloc in the European Parliament. The Strasbourg gathering was organized to project an unambiguous European stance: firm backing for Israel, wholesale rejection of sanctions and boycotts against Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, and an uncompromising battle against antisemitism. The political alliance includes prominent parties and leaders across the continent, including MEPs representing former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s 2011 party; Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party; Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom from the Netherlands; the Freedom Party of Austria; Jordan Bardella’s National Rally from France; and parliamentary representatives from across Europe.
During the conference, party delegates signed an accord formally adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition to combat antisemitism and uphold Holocaust commemoration. The charter explicitly recognizes that disproportionate attacks delegitimizing the State of Israel constitute manifestations of contemporary antisemitism, while underscoring the imperative to confront Holocaust denial and historical distortion. The initiative carries heightened weight amid recent sanction packages rolled out by several European states against Israeli pioneers and organizations in Judea and Samaria.
Among the Israeli delegation attending the summit is MK Ariel Kallner, Chairman of the Knesset Committee for Cooperation with the European Parliament. Samaria governor Yossi Dagan and Likud Supreme Court President Michael Kleiner addressed participants via pre-recorded keynotes. Ahead of the convening, MK Ariel Kallner emphasized: “Antisemitism begins with the Jews, but it never ends with the Jews. Antisemitism exists on the extreme right, and the extreme left, but the truth must be spoken: the overwhelming majority of physical assaults against Jews today are carried out in the name of Islam. This represents the genuine threat facing the entire West, because it starts against Jews, but it will not stop there.”
Kalner added: “The recent sanctions imposed by European states against Jews in Judea and Samaria are antisemitic. When sanctions are directed against the Jewish state and the people of the Bible returning to the land of the Bible—that is a double standard, hypocrisy, and modern antisemitism. Israel stands on the front line in the battle between civilization and barbarism. Europe must stand with the State of Israel out of commitment to truth and justice, but also because we are fighting Europe’s battle.”
Likely Supreme Court President Michael Kleiner warned against the collateral economic fallout of international punitive actions: “The sanctions imposed by 12 countries, led by the United Kingdom, against Judea and Samaria are a double-edged sword. Those who will primarily suffer are tens of thousands of Palestinians who earn their livelihood working for Jewish enterprises in Israel and Judea and Samaria.
Consider the boycott campaign against SodaStream: the plant relocated to the Arava and remained unharmed, but 500 Arab workers lost their livelihood. They were forced to seek work in the Palestinian Authority at vastly lower wages. The factories will not shut down, but these sanctions directly compromise workers’ sustenance.”
Samaria Governor Yossi Dagan stated in his address to the assembled leaders: “On behalf of all residents in Samaria, the cradle of the Bible and the beating heart of the Land of Israel, on behalf of all citizens of Israel, and on behalf of our genuine partners worldwide, I wish to express our gratitude.
“It is an honor to share our appreciation with you, particularly during these challenging times of global conflict. We are fighting together against a common adversary: the unholy coalition between radical Islamists and radical progressives. We are fighting to protect Europe. We are fighting to protect Israel. We are fighting to safeguard the future of Western civilization as a whole. We stand united against barbaric terrorist assaults, and we stand united against the campaign of delegitimization and deception. We possess the strength to prevail because we recognize just how critical this battle is for the future of the entire world.”