🔗 Share this article

Britain's head Jewish cleric has expressed that many individuals of the Jewish community and outside it are asking why protests like the ones challenging the restriction against Palestine Action are authorized to continue.

Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis commented: “Certain ones of them feature clear hatred of Jews, blatant support of Hamas. Not every person, however we see a great deal of such behavior, which is clearly hazardous for numerous within our community.”

Addressing ahead of his arrival in Manchester last Friday to support grieving families the loss of two men during a terror incident at a synagogue, he stressed a pressing requirement for national introspection.”

The attack had occurred in the wake of what he called a persistent tide of hatred against Jews” across Britain’s streets, campuses, online platforms and within certain parts of the media, Mirvis told a national radio broadcast.

Pointing out the slogan “spread the intifada worldwide” – that numerous regard as an incitement for violent acts against Jews – he said the nation had seen “in tragic detail” on Thursday what those words meant.

Coming back to his earlier description as expressed in open areas and online, he commented: “So much of the material is extremely hostile and also, when there is the unfounded criticism toward Israel that contributes right into hostility toward Jews within the tone of Britain and subsequently encourages extremism. Our government should take note of that.”

Upon questioning about marches organized by pro-Palestinian groups demanding a cessation to the conflict in Gaza and protests advocating for the lifting of restrictions on the prohibited organization Palestine Action, he answered that “so much” of these actions were harmful to many across the UK.

“From the 7th of October last year we have seen so many people who have questioned for what purpose those protests are authorized to happen on our streets.”

“One cannot divide the rhetoric in public forums, the actions of individuals in this way and the results necessarily occur … These factors are intertwined and therefore we appeal to leaders once more to get a grip on these demonstrations as they are hazardous.”

Religious figures also possess a distinct responsibility to undertake, Sir Ephraim Mirvis remarked, adding: “We need to talk concerning managing our speech, the perspectives that we express, the way we communicate these thoughts and likewise a religious leader must encourage coexistence and calm on our streets and in our homes.”

His statements coincided with the head of Israel, Isaac Herzog, declared that the day was a “awful day” for the Jewish community in Britain, the nation as a whole, and the Jewish community throughout the world.

“It is a stark warning of what we have been cautioning for a long while, that this surge of antisemitism and animosity toward Jewish people all over the world ultimately leads to violence,” he stated on LBC radio.

Included among demanding additional state measures on antisemitism was Danny Cohen, the ex-executive of BBC 1, who told a radio program we need a “national inquiry regarding anti-Jewish sentiment established straightaway” because “a problem has gone badly wrong in our society, and it requires immediate attention.”