Last week, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, told a group of European journalists visiting Israel that London has become the most anti-Semitic city in Western Europe thanks to a mix of the ‘’radical Left’’ and ‘’Islamic extremism.’’
“The antisemitism we see today in the West is the worst since the 1930s and it is because of a ‘red and green’ alliance – the combination of the radical Left and the radical Islam groups that work together,’’ the Likud minister said.
He was speaking during a press briefing at the Israeli foreign ministry in Jerusalem for a group of visiting journalists from UK, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Denmark and Romania, invited by Europe Israel Press Association (EIPA).
“London is a centre of Western civilisation, the country of the Magna Carta and one of the leading democracies of the West with a rich legacy of freedom of speech, of human rights. But it seems what is happening now in Britain is that freedom of speech no longer exists,’’ Chikli said.
“Our enemies are Europe’s enemies. Our enemies are the enemies of Western civilisation…And this isn’t just a problem for the Jews but for the British people, when even the statue of Churchill needs its own security,’’ he added.
“Today in the UK, Jews are hiding their yarmulkes and their Magen Davids. They they know that if they speak Hebrew on the subway they might get hit. And this is the reality for Jews in Europe,’’ he said.
London has seen these latest weeks several anti-Israel demonstrations in the wake of the war between Israel and Hamas with slogans such as ‘Zionists = Nazis’ or ‘From the river to the Sea’’ which means the eradication of the sole Jewish State in the world.
He said that Britain and the West had to be “more alert to the dangers of immigration” as well as the radicalisation of people in mosques.
He said: “If you think that anyone who is coming now from Algeria or Iraq or Syria can be part of Western liberal society just by crossing the border, you need to understand that it is not that simple…it is extremely dangerous for Western countries to have this approach because many organisations can take advantage of it.”
Last month, Chikli he slammed British Foreign Minister David Cameron, comparing his suggestion that the UK could recognise a Palestinian state to Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler prior to the outbreak of WWII.
The phenomenon of anti-Semitism in the UK began even before the war in Gaza, the minister noted.
A report from the ministry shows that in 2023, 4,103 antisemitic incidents were recorded in the UK, a 147% increase compared to 2022.
– A dramatic increase in London, with 2,140 incidents (52% of the total).
– 66% of incidents were recorded after October 7, with a 589% increase compared to the previous year.
– 45% of the incidents in 2023 occurred in the US and 39% in Europe, with a 33% increase in violent incidents.
– 16% of the violent incidents were recorded in the UK, many following the ‘Iron Swords’ war.
– Social media platforms continue to spread antisemitic content, with a 1,200% increase in hostile posts.
– The UK is among the top 10 countries for online antisemitic discourse.
– Nearly half of British Jews are considering leaving the country due to the documented antisemitism.
– 60% of British Jews experienced or know someone who experienced an antisemitic incident since the war started.
– Large pro-Palestinian protests were recorded in the UK, with hostile calls against Jews and Israelis.