Amid ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza, the safety of the UK’s Jewish community is a top priority, according to Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. He said that Jews in the UK have historically been targeted inappropriately in response to Middle Eastern actions. In London, students at a Jewish school were told they did not have to wear blazers to avoid identification, and police investigated “Free Palestine” graffiti in the area.
More than 900 people have died three days after Hamas launched a murderous assault on Israel. Retaliatory strikes on Gaza by the Israeli military have killed nearly 690 individuals, according to Palestinian authorities.
At an emergency Cobra meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, the question of security for British Jews was discussed on Monday. Home Secretary Suella Braverman is taking action and feels strongly about community safety. She wrote to police chiefs across England and Wales, asking them to increase patrols and use their powers to prevent disorder and distress within communities. Ms. Braverman added that there is no place for flag-waving, demonstrations, or convoys within British streets, particularly if they glorify terrorism or harass the Jewish community.
British Jews gathered for a vigil in Downing Street on Monday evening to light candles for the victims and pray for lost loved ones and those captured. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop the War, gathered near the Israeli embassy. The Prime Minister reminded everyone that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organization, and anyone found supporting it will be held accountable.
In response to the ongoing conflict, the Foreign Secretary advised UK residents seeking to leave Israel to use commercial transport initially. He confirmed that no UK government-facilitated evacuation was taking place yet, but air flights and land borders with Egypt and Jordan are available. Mr. Cleverly also mentioned that the situation in Israel differs from many other consular issues due to the large number of British-Israeli nationals
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