The Munich Security Conference has decided not to feature Israel on its main stage this year due to its ongoing war in Gaza, as revealed in an N12 interview with the event’s organizers on Monday.
This decision marks a significant change, considering Israel’s traditionally prominent role at this highly regarded national security event.
In previous years, key Israeli figures such as Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Ministers Gantz, Gallant, and Ya’alon have played central roles at the conference.
However, this year, the conference organizers have turned down all requests from Israel for notable participation, including a request from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to speak, offering him a role as a panel speaker instead.
Additionally, the organizers have declined a request from the families of hostages to hold a large ceremony for those still in captivity, suggesting a smaller “side event” as an alternative. This would result in less participation and media attention.
The report also highlighted concerns regarding Christoph Heusgen, Germany’s former national security advisor and the conference organizer, and his record on Israel, citing an instance where he appeared to provide some justification for the actions of Hamas.
The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for the past 114 days has risen to 26,400 martyrs, according to the Ministry of Health in the besieged enclave on Sunday.
The ministry said via the Telegram platform, “The toll of the Israeli aggression has risen to 26,422 martyrs and 65,087 injuries since the 7th of October last year.”
