A family was left “very concerned” when a birth certificate was returned with the word “Israel” defaced. The document had been sent off as part of a passport application. An image of the certificate, which had been torn, was posted online by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA). The charity said the family had been affected by the “completely unacceptable” incident. A number of employees at a private company working with the Home Office were suspended following the allegations.
James Cleverley, the Home Secretary, apologised to the family for the incident and confirmed an urgent review of the claims had been launched. He also made it clear that the commercial partner had suspended some staff while an investigation is carried out. The CAA claimed that the certificate was sent 2 weeks ago and returned on Monday with the father’s place of birth crossed out. However, the mother’s place of birth, also in Israel, was left untouched.
The CAA argued that the birth certificate was a direct target of antisemitism, which is being taken very seriously by the Home Office. The charity is providing support to the family. It added that people should never have to expect such treatment from the Home Office. The incident has rekindled the long-term problem of antisemitism in the UK, which runs back many centuries. This incident serves as a reminder that ongoing efforts must continue to be made to combat such issues
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