Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled his participation in a huge Sunday evening event in honor of Israel’s 75th Independence Day – presumably because of the huge protests planned inside and outside of the Expo Tel Aviv convention center in Jerusalem.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has informed us that he is not able to appear at tonight’s event sponsored by Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Hayesod, and the World Zionist Organization celebrating the last 75 years of our communities’ investment and support in the state of Israel’s growth and development,” the organizers of the event sent to the participants.
“We thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his message of friendship between our communities.”
General Assembly organizers
“We thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his message of friendship between our communities and his acknowledgment of the important role North American Jewry has played in building and developing the state of Israel. We look forward to hearing from President Isaac Herzog tonight and wish him continued luck in advancing a compromise agreement on judicial reforms that will be acceptable to the broad majority of Israelis and strengthen Israel’s democratic institutions,” the message to participants read.
JFNA wasn’t worried about planned protests
President and CEO of JFNA Eric Fingerhut told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday that he is “not afraid” of the outcome of planned protests before and during the then-planned Netanyahu speech on Sunday.
“Obviously we hope that the people who are coming to protest understand that the event that they’re protesting is an event being held by an organization that is so deeply dedicated to the future of Israel and has been so deeply involved in everything that has happened and in the State of Israel,” he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with the JFNA delegation, May 27, 2021. (credit: AMOS BEN-GERSHOM/GPO)Thousands of protesters were planning on surrounding Expo Tel Aviv where the conference is expected to take place, together with the Jewish Agency, Keren Hayesod and the World Zionist Organization. They planned to protest against Netanyahu because of the proposed judicial reforms, even though their legislation has stopped and there are currently negotiations taking place at the President’s residence.
“I hope the protesters understand how we have assisted the State of Israel for the past 100 years, even before that state was established. I hope that will factor into how they conduct themselves,” Fingerhut said on Thursday.
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