A German group of politicians from Hesse in central Germany who is visiting Israel has been diplomatically shunned after it was found that a Far-Right MP was among the delegation, the Algemeiner reported.
The politician, Dimitri Schulz, is an MP for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is known for extremist right-wing views, minimizing the Holocaust and is also viewed by the German Jewish community as a home for the “hatred of Jews ” and “reletavising, or denial of the Holocaust,” the Central Council of Jews said in a statement in October.
However, the political party does have some pro-Israel sentiments, which stem from its vehement anti-Muslim and anti-Immigrant views.
According to the Algemeiner, the delegation arrived in the country on Sunday for a cyber-security conference in Tel Aviv and a meeting with top scientists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
However, a reception to welcome the delegation, which had been set to take place at the Economy and Industry Ministry , was immediately cancelled after it was found that Schulz was among the group.
A planned visit to Israel’s Holocaust museum Yad Vashem was also cancelled, Algemeiner reported.
The news website also reported that Schulz had told local news outlets in Hesse on Wednesday that he was “deeply disappointed” by Israel’s decision, adding that he had founded a group within the party called “Jews in the AfD,” which has some 19 Jews, who will fight against antisemitism coming from Muslim immigrants in Germany.
The formation of the group last year caused major backlash from the German Jewish community with a protest held that included some 200 people from different Jewish groups, who were demonstrating against the move.