Boris meets Jewish leaders to discuss antisemitism surge
V PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson held an emergency meeting with Jewish leaders on Thursday, as antisemitism surged across the UK.
It followed a letter of support to the community from Home Secretary Priti Patel and Communities Minister Robert Jenrick, which was published in the JC last week.
Ms Patel and Mr Jenrick visited Daniel’s Bakery in Temple Fortune last week where community members and police told them how the rise in antisemitism was affecting the community.
The Chief Rabbi was present at the meeting at No 10, while representatives of the Board of Deputies (BOD), the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), the Community Security Trust (CST) and the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) participated remotely, along with the government’s antisemitism adviser, Lord Mann.
Condemning the spike in anti-Jewish incidents, Mr Johnson said: “Whatever the situation is in the Middle East, there is no excuse for the importing of prejudice to the streets of our country. In any form. The recent signs of antisemitism, such as the assault of Rabbi Goodwin, the disgusting parade of vehicles chanting hate speech through the streets of London, is intolerable and I take deep, deep exception.
“I condemn antisemitism in all its forms and I stand totally with our Jewish community.”
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said that he was “worried about the increase in antisemitism in the United Kingdom” and that “what we are seeing right now is unprecedented”.
He added: “The community is determined to stop it in its tracks and is encouraged and grateful for the Government’s help.”
It is understood that the CAA raised concerns about the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), pointing out that while the police often did an excellent job in tracing antisemitism offenders, the CPS too often refused to prosecute.The JC also understands that a number of those present raised the issue of a full ban on Hamas in the UK. Currently, only the military wing is proscribed.
One of those present said: “The Prime Minister seemed very well briefed and understood all the issues, especially around Hamas.” The CAA said it was important that the Online Harms Bill was introduced rapidly. The issue of British attendance at ‘Durban 4’ was raised by the JLC, which joined other communal representatives to urge the government to pull out of the conference, which was designed to commemorate the anniversary of the “racist” Durban meeting of 2001.
Board President Marie van der Zyl also asked the government to call on social media companies to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and to request Ofcom to monitor firms’ adherence to that standard. The PM pledged to work to strengthen interfaith dialogue and the ties between the government and all the religious communities of the UK.
Those attending the meeting virtually included: Gideon Falter, Chairman of Campaign Against Antisemitism; Mark Gardner, Chief Executive of CST; Jonathan Goldstein JLC Chairman; Government antisemitism adviser Lord Mann; Alyth Synagogue’s Rabbi Levy; JLC Co-Chief Executive Claudia Mendoza; President of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations Rabbi Stern; and President of the Board of Deputies, Marie van der Zyl.
There is no excuse for importing prejudice to our country’