Thailand revokes chief rabbi's citizenship amid anti-Israeli sentiment

Thailand revoked the citizenship of Chief Rabbi Yosef Kantor, head of Chabad in Thailand, citing passport irregularities. The move follows raids on Chabad institutions, protests, and other enforcement actions against Israelis, unsettling the Jewish community.

An article by Yoav Itiel on Walla describes a growing wave of persecution against Israelis and Jews in Thailand, manifested in the revocation of the citizenship of Chief Rabbi Yosef Kantor, raids on Chabad institutions, and antisemitic street protests. The article notes that over 400,000 Israelis will visit Thailand this year, and about 10,000 reside there permanently. It reviews a series of incidents since 2024: the arrest of members of the band Bi-2, a disturbance at a hospital in Pai, raids on daycare centers in Koh Phangan, and the exhumation of bodies from a Jewish cemetery. The revocation of Rabbi Kantor's citizenship, justified by his use of an American passport, is described as an unprecedented breaking point. Leading the protests is media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, who demands limiting Israeli entry to 15 days. Rabbi Nechemya Wilhelm, a Chabad emissary in Bangkok, claims that foreign elements from a foreign country are fueling and funding the incitement, alongside internal Thai politics.