Phuket Chabad House cancels Rosh Hashanah meal following anti-Israel protest

The Rosh Hashanah meal planned for Friday evening at the Chabad House in Phuket for hundreds of Israelis will not be held in its original format following a heated anti-Israel protest near the site.

Protesters gathered in the area for several hours and chanted slogans, including “Free Palestine.”

The event was originally planned for around 1,000 participants at the Chabad House and a nearby hotel and was expected to continue until midnight. Thai authorities approved the gathering with certain restrictions after a local group called “Save Phuket” petitioned to cancel the event over security concerns, but they rejected the request.

The protest took place Friday, with Thai media reporting that more than 500 people marched from Patong Beach toward the Chabad House while carrying signs reading “SAVE PHUKET NO ISRAEL.” Local police were deployed to the area following the demonstration.

The protest organizers later issued a more severe message that included antisemitic language: “We are monitoring the situation surrounding the Jewish New Year event in the Patong area. These Jews are staying inside their mansions. They will not go outside. Once the protest ends, they will return to their normal lives. It is like a situation where the embassy is temporarily closed and then reopened.”

Protest organizers justify actions as protection for Thai 'traditions and customs'

The organizers attempted to justify their actions, or rather whitewash their antisemitism, by describing the protest as “an important step in protecting the traditions and customs of the Thai people from disturbances by foreigners.”

Recent protests targeting Israelis in Thailand have also included antisemitic messages. No public announcement has been made so far regarding a complete cancellation of the meal, and Thai media outlets that covered Friday’s demonstration did not report that the event had been fully canceled.