The UK Home Office is reportedly investigating a disturbing incident, in which a baby’s birth certificate had the word “Israel” crossed out during a passport application process. The image of the certificate was shared by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) on social media site X. The child’s parents’ places of birth were listed as Israel, with the father’s location being crossed out. The document also appeared to be torn. The incident occurred in the context of rising antisemitic incidents in the UK; confidence in authorities helping to deliver justice and restore balance has declined significantly as a consequence.
The CAA criticized the move as “completely unacceptable” and noted that it had worried the parents of the affected child. Home Secretary James Cleverly has since announced an urgent investigation into the matter. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat also revealed that the Home Office was investigating the case. Speaking up for the Jewish community, the CAA complained that such incidents further damage already low community spirits. The incident occurred as part of a passport application process for a six-month-old girl.
The CAA has emphasized the importance of cautioning against allowing similar occurrences to happen. Authorities must reiterate their commitment to preventing all forms of hate practices such as antisemitism, especially when such practices occur during official documentation processes. Given that the baby’s mother’s birthplace – also Israel, was untouched on the document, it is clear that the issue is exclusionary in nature. Investigating the matter urgently will ensure that those responsible are held to account, and measures can be taken to prevent future incidents of similar nature
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More