Israel's foreign minister has accused the UK Government of failing to curb a 'toxic wave of antisemitism' following the 'awful' attack on a Manchester synagogue on Thursday. Gideon Sa'ar condemned the 'murderous attack' outside Heaton Park Synagogue, which claimed the lives of two Jewish people on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Writing on X, Sa'ar said that 'blatant and rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement, as well as calls of support for terror,' had become 'widespread' across the UK, including on university campuses. He accused British authorities of failing 'to take the necessary action to curb this toxic wave of antisemitism and have effectively allowed it to persist.'
'We expect more than words from the Starmer government. We expect and demand a change of course, effective action, and enforcement against the rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement in Britain,' he added.
Broadcaster and barrister Robert Rinder, 47, whose grandfather fled to Britain after his family was wiped out in the Holocaust, echoed similar calls for solidarity. In a tweet, he criticised those who still allow antisemitism to cloud their view on the attack. 'Some still answer this atrocity with “what about…”', he said.
In a moving tweet, he urged: 'If you believe in Britain (wherever you’re from & whatever your faith) you must stand with us.' He added: 'Many Jews cannot imagine a future here and history tells us what follows when that happens.'
Former UK Foreign Office Minister Zac Goldsmith also took aim at the rise in antisemitic incidents, sharing a video of pro-Palestinian protesters letting off fireworks in London. Conservative Shadow Minister Louie French called for an end to 'hate marches', saying: 'No more excuses. No more division. The UK must be free from antisemitism.'
