Dublin hotel declined antisemitism conference, Cohen says

The Herbert Park Hotel in Dublin declined to host an international conference on combating antisemitism and released about 70 rooms reserved for delegates, according to Maurice Cohen, chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland. The conference went ahead after organizers arranged replacement accommodation and a venue, reports citing organizers said. Cohen said he and an event organizer met hotel representatives, including the general manager, on May 7 to explain the gathering and discuss arrangements. He said the manager asked whether the Israel Defense Forces would be involved and told them she would consult the hotel’s owners before deciding whether it could host the event. The following day, organizers received an email saying the hotel could not host the event, Cohen said. The email, reviewed by a report on the incident, said higher management had made the decision but gave no reason. The hotel had not publicly explained its decision in the accounts available by Wednesday. Cohen said organizers later asked whether the approximately 70 delegate rooms remained available and were told they had been released because the hotel had not received credit-card details....