When you are in galut long enough and live in a country that didn't let Jews that were escaping the hell brought by Hitler ym"s into their country, when you live in a country that turned boats loaded with Jewish families back to Germany, a country that hung Jewish teenagers in the streets of Yerushlayim, living in a country that murdered Rishonim, living in a country that expelled the Jews in 1290, 202 years before the expulsion of Jews from Spain, then of course, you start talking like the rest of the goyim! But don't you worry, England that is being overrun by the Arabs will send you guys home too!
The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the UK’s Jewish community’s umbrella organization, expressed a less than welcome greeting to Religious Zionism chairman Betzalel Smotrich, who flew to London on Wednesday.
Smotrich is on a trip to meet with Jewish communities in the UK and France to discuss matters of Jewish identity, especially their concerns about the giyur reform currently being advanced in Israel.
“Get back on the plane Betzalel and be remembered as a disgrace forever,” the organization’s spokesperson wrote on Twitter, writing in Hebrew: “We reject his abhorrent views and hateful ideology and call on all members of the British Jewish community to show him the door. You’re not wanted here.”
In response, Smotrich tweeted: “UK Jews: I love you. All of you.”
He later told Reshet Bet: “I was received with great love. According to the number of invitations I received, I can stay here another week and even two.”
Regarding the hateful tweet, he said: “There are internal political issues here, organizations that are controlled by the progressive left.”
On Thursday, Smotrich responded to the organization on Twitter, writing: “I very much thank you for the publication of my visit and on the many connections I forged in the UK thanks to it. I received dozens of phone calls and invitations from Rabbanim and leaders who were embarrassed by you and apologized, telling me that you don’t represent them and requested to meet me. Unfortunately I won’t manage to meet all of them this time so I’ll need to return for another visit.”
The attack was widely condemned by right-wing Knesset members and at least one coalition member also slammed the organization for treating an Israeli Knesset member who traveled to meet Jewish communities in such a manner.
The Likud party stated: “We completely reject the shameful tweet issued by the umbrella organization of British Jewry against MK Betzalel Smotrich. In doing so, they are disqualifying a large public who love Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael whom MK Smotrich and Religious Zionism faithfully represent. It’s clear that this organization wouldn’t treat left-wing post-Zionist Knesset members who deny the existence of Israel as a national state for the Jews like this. Shameful.