BDS Demands EU officials boycott anti-BDS conference in Jerusalem

 

Leaders of the anti-Israel movement urged EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini to stop EU’s ambassador to the Jewish State from attending the Yedioth Ahronoth’s anti-BDS conference in Jerusalem, scheduled for this Monday.

By Itamar Eichner

 

Representatives of the BDS movement have demanded that the EU boycott the Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynet anti-BDS conference, which will convene on Monday in Jerusalem. The BDS movement has demanded that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini order EU Ambassador to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen to not participate in a conference panel alongside pro-settlement political leader Dani Dayan.

EU foreign affairs chief Mogherini. – Photo: Reuters

“We are writing to urge the European Union to cancel the participation of Mr. Lars Faaborg-Andersen, head of the EU delegation to Israel, in the Israeli “Stop the Boycott” conference, scheduled to take place in Jerusalem on 28 March 2016,” BDS representatives wrote to Mogherini, “Speaking at this conference, hosted by the right-wing, anti-Palestinian Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, would implicate the EU in the latest phase of Israel’s war on the largest Palestinian-led human rights movement in the world.”

They continued, writing, “It is deeply concerning that Mr. Faaborg-Andersen will be speaking alongside Dani Dayan, a key leader of the settler movement.” 

Ambassador Andersen. Still intend on attending the conference. – Photo: Yael Freidson

Ambassador Andersen said Wednesday that he will not surrender to pressure and demands to cancel his participation in the conference, and that he will appear on the panel with Dayan as planned.