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The Jewish community has been informed that the Israeli military is concerned about the increase in antisemitism in Britain following Hamas’s assault on Tel Aviv.
The Community Security Trust (CST), a British Jewish organization, reported approximately 800 instances of antisemitism following the October 7 attacks by Palestinian militants that resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people in Israel and the capture of over 200 individuals.
It appears that Jonathan Conricus, a representative of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), acknowledged that there has been a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the UK, as his country is currently engaged in combat with Hamas in Gaza.
According to him, certain activists advocating for Palestine were disguised anti-Israel and anti-Semitic individuals.
“I am concerned about the numerous instances of anti-Semitism and hatred towards Jews in Britain,” stated Mr. Conricus, who frequently updates journalists on the IDF’s actions in Gaza.
We have observed it, and it has also been reported in Israel.
“I send you my sincerest wishes…I hope that you will have the courage, strength, and determination to stand up against those who hide behind criticisms of Israel and Jews, while claiming to advocate for Palestinian rights and political resolutions.”
All of this is meaningless. None of it pertains to the rights of Palestinians or resolving the conflict.
This is regarding a terrorist group that forcibly entered our neighborhoods, intentionally and deliberately killed over 1,000 innocent Israeli citizens in their residences, and also captured 224 individuals as hostages.
This is the main focus, please don’t misunderstand.
On Sunday, the comments he made on Friday were aired during an online briefing for the Jewish community organized by the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, made a video for the briefing expressing his continued support for Jews in the UK and Israel.
He expressed his disgust at the thought of British Jews living in fear and children having to hide their school badges to avoid being targeted.
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The displays of anti-Semitism and urging for holy war pose a danger not only to our Jewish population, but also to our principles of democracy, which we will not tolerate.
“I will not tolerate any threats, whether in our country or in this century. Any danger to you is a danger to all of us, and I am committed to ensuring your safety at all costs.”
He stated: “My pledge to stand by your side was sincere. Despite any challenges we may face in the future, I will honor that commitment.”
The government has allocated an extra £10 million to CST for the purpose of enhancing security measures at Jewish schools and synagogues.
Mark Gardner, the chief executive of CST, stated during the briefing that his organization has collaborated with officials and law enforcement to enhance the management of protests against Israel in the UK.
Since October 7, he mentioned that the police’s support for Jewish neighborhoods has been “outstanding.” This has been reflected in the increased presence of police at schools and transport hubs frequently used by Jewish children.
According to Mr. Gardner, CST has a counter-terrorism officer and two officers located in its control center, enabling swift reactions to reports of antisemitism or suspicious actions.
He mentioned that in Manchester, there are six officers specifically designated to receive reports of antisemitic behavior from both CST and the larger community.
He stated that there is currently a high number of antisemitic incidents.
“Over the past three weeks, we have documented an equivalent number of anti-semitic occurrences as we did in the first half of the year, totaling around 800 incidents.”
A small number of incidents have involved physical aggression. The most frequent occurrence is the shouting of “free Palestine” towards Jewish individuals. The tearing down of hostage posters is also a trigger, as well as the situation at various college campuses across the nation.
A meeting took place following a gathering of over 300 individuals outside the Qatari embassy in central London on Sunday, urging Doha to take action in obtaining the freedom of hostages.
At approximately the same time, a pro-Palestine protest also occurred in Bristol, following similar demonstrations in cities like London, Belfast, and Glasgow on Saturday. The protesters were calling for a ceasefire.
Over the course of the past three weeks, the Gaza health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, reports that over 8,000 Palestinians have lost their lives as a result of Israel’s retaliatory actions.
Source: independent.co.uk