Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the UK's chief rabbi, has urged a period of 'national soul-searching' following a deadly terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue. Speaking before visiting the city on Friday, he said the attack came after an 'unrelenting wave of hatred against Jews' on Britain's streets, campuses, social media, and in some media outlets.
Mirvis singled out the slogan 'globalise the intifada', which many view as a call to violence against Jews, stating that Britain had seen 'with tragic clarity' what those words meant. He argued that the unjustified demonisation of Israel feeds anti-Jewish sentiment and encourages extremism, calling on the government to be mindful of this.
Referring to pro-Palestinian marches and protests against the ban on Palestine Action, Mirvis said 'so much' of it was dangerous to many in British society. He noted that some demonstrations contain outright antisemitism and support for Hamas, and he urged the government to 'get a grip on these demonstrations as they are dangerous'.
Defend Our Juries, which organises protests in support of lifting the ban on Palestine Action, said it intended to proceed with its Saturday protest. It urged police to protect communities fearing reprisals and 'utterly condemned' the Manchester attack.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described Thursday as a 'horrific day' for the Jewish community in Britain and worldwide, calling it a 'shocking reminder' that the 'heatwave of antisemitism' can lead to bloodshed. Former BBC 1 controller Danny Cohen called for a 'national inquiry on antisemitism' to be established immediately, saying 'something has gone badly wrong in our society'.
