Trump meets delegation of ultra-Orthodox rabbis that include members of anti-Israel sects
US President Donald Trump and his Vice President JD Vance have met a group of ultra-Orthodox rabbis, among them members of sects that are anti-Israel. The meeting on Thursday was part of Mr Trump’s annual engagement with the Jewish community before the Rosh Hashanah new year holiday. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, one member of the delegation described the occasion as an opportunity for…
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance met with a delegation of ultra-Orthodox rabbis, some of whom hold anti-Israel views. The gathering, which occurred during Trump's annual engagement with the Jewish community ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, aimed to give the president a chance to meet with the senior rabbis of the largest ultra-Orthodox sects.
These rabbis, described as "visibly Jewish people," represented groups such as the Satmar and Skver communities, known for rejecting Israel's legitimacy and the state's authority. The meeting provided a platform for discussing matters concerning Hasidic communities in both the US and Israel. The delegation expressed their support for exemption from military service for ultra-Orthodox men in Israel, a matter that has led to protests in the country.
Some of the rabbis belonged to the Satmar and Skver communities, who advocate for the belief that Jews cannot establish their own sovereign state prior to the arrival of the messiah. Unlike the more overtly anti-Israel group Neturei Karta, the Satmar and Skver communities focus on opposing Israeli government control rather than outright opposition to Israel.
In 2024, the Israeli government announced that members of the ultra-Orthodox community would be subject to the nationwide military draft, a move that many in the ultra-Orthodox community dispute, arguing that religious study should be their primary occupation.
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