British Jewish organisations will gather in central London on Wednesday for a vigil honouring victims of the 7 October attacks in Israel, after a day of tributes from politicians and community leaders. A 5pm vigil is expected to take place at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street.
Tributes from Jewish bodies
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “Three years ago, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, murdering 1,200 men, women and children, injuring thousands and taking 251 people captive. May their memories for ever remain a blessing.”
Meanwhile, the Jewish Leadership Council said 7 October had been “the deadliest day for our people since the Holocaust.” The attacks were followed by Israel’s war in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll in the past three years surpassed 74,000 last month, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government.
Political responses
Andy Burnham assured British Jews “we stand with you” against antisemitism in a statement marking the third anniversary of the 7 October attacks. However, the Israeli embassy said in a statement that “it is a source of deep sadness that, in the years since 7 October, the position of the British government towards Israel has changed so substantially from the solidarity expressed in those first days,” claiming “the atmosphere for Jewish people continues to worsen” in the UK.
Foreign secretary Ed Miliband announced an import ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine last month. The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism, said its research showed there were 1,926 antisemitic incidents recorded across the UK from January to June 2026 – up by a fifth on the first half of last year and the second-highest total reported to the CST in the first six months of any year. This was exceeded only by the 2,019 incidents recorded in the first half of 2024 – which followed the 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza.
Community events and statements
Celebrations of Jewish life have been continuing in public spaces. From 27 September to 2 October, the Jewish festival of Sukkot was celebrated in the heart of the city, with the Sukkah in the City event in Albert Square, Manchester. In his statement, the prime minister described the rise in antisemitic behaviour in the UK since 2023 as “disturbing”, but pledged his government is “committed to protecting our citizens from vile hatred”.
Burnham referenced an attack just over a year ago, when an attack on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur by Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester left two worshippers dead. Melvin Cravitz, 66, died from multiple stab wounds and fellow worshipper Adrian Daulby, 53, was killed by a bullet fired by armed police as he blocked the synagogue doors from Al-Shamie. Al-Shamie was shot dead by police during the attack.
Burnham said: “Three years on from the 7 October attacks on Israel, we remember those who were senselessly killed by Hamas terrorists. The impact of the attacks has been felt not just in Israel, but in Jewish communities across the world who still bear the burden of the tragic events that day. In the years since, we have seen a disturbing rise in antisemitic behaviour in the UK. I want Britain’s Jewish community to hear this from me directly: we stand with you. Abuse and violence against you, in any form, will not be tolerated. Not on our streets, not online, not in our schools or universities. That’s why we are funding protection for synagogues, schools and community buildings, and why we will come down hard on antisemitism wherever it is found – in classrooms, on campuses and in neighbourhoods. At home, we are committed to protecting our citizens from vile hatred. Abroad, we continue to work towards a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security. An attack on Jewish people in Britain is an attack on all of us. Antisemitism has no place in this country, and we will do everything we can to stamp it out.”
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan police said they had “imposed stringent conditions” on those taking part in a pro-Palestine student march in London on Wednesday afternoon. Pro-Palestine rallies led by student societies were also due to take place at Edinburgh and Glasgow universities.
