The Ben-Gurion University of the Negev cancels a lecture by Benzi Gopshtain, the head of extremist right-wing group Lehava, five days ahead of its scheduled date.
Gopshtain says his invitation to speak at the university was met with strong opposition, and was therefore canceled.
The university says the cancellation was due to timing considerations, Israel Radio reports.
Lehava chairman Bentzi Gopshtain is brought to the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court in Jerusalem on December 16, 2014 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Lehava was established as an organization that aimed to prevent marriage between Jews and Arabs, which is prohibited according to Jewish law. The group has become identified with the extreme Jewish right and its members have been seen patrolling downtown Jerusalem on nights looking, they claim, for mixed couples.
Their vigilante patrols have often escalated into scuffles and there were several instances over the past year where members of the organization have beaten Arabs who came to town for a night out.
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