FORMER first minister Humza Yousaf has joined leaders of Britain’s Jewish community criticising an Israeli minister for inviting “thug” Tommy Robinson to visit the country.
Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister for the diaspora and combating antisemitism, said he was “proud to host British patriot” Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, later this month.
He lauded the far-right activist as a “courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam”.
Robinson confirmed that he would accept the Israeli minister’s invitation.
But the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said Robinson “represents the very worst of Britain”.
The Jewish leadership groups said Chikli’s actions had hit the British community in its “darkest hour”. They said: “Tommy Robinson is a thug who represents the very worst of Britain.
“His presence undermines those genuinely working to tackle Islamist extremism and foster community cohesion.
“Minister Chikli has proven himself to be a diaspora minister in name only.
“In our darkest hour, he has ignored the views of the vast majority of British Jews, who utterly and consistently reject Robinson and everything he stands for.”
Yousaf echoed this, writing on social media: "If ever you doubted the scale of anti-Muslim hatred motivating the current Israeli Govt then look no further than this.
"To invite a racist, far-right convicted thug who called Islam a 'violent fascist ideology' will not just horrify Muslims, but many Jewish and Israeli people too."
Robinson said he would travel to Israel “immediately following my October 13 trial”.
He said he would visit: Jerusalem, the West Bank, the site of the Nova Festival and other October 7 locations, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre Yad Vashem, the Jabotinsky Institute and Christian holy sites.
He said: “I will visit the Knesset and meet with leaders of the Israeli government, including minister Amichai Chikli, Israel’s diaspora minister who invited me, as well as many others.”
“I also hope to get into Gaza,” he added.
Robinson, last month, organised a Unite the Kingdom rally in central London attended by between 110,000 and 150,000 people.
More than 150 reports of anti-Muslim hate were made to the Tell Mama charity monitoring the issue in the seven days following the rally.
