In response to a wave of anti-Jewish violence, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced an emergency gathering of societal leaders for Tuesday, Reuters reported.
The move follows the harrowing stabbing attack in Golders Green last week, and a series of other antisemitic assaults in the United Kingdom.
The surge in hostility has forced the government to escalate the national terrorism threat level to “severe.” To address the immediate danger, Downing Street has pledged an additional 25 million pounds to enhance security measures for Britain’s Jewish population, which is estimated at 290,000 people.
Starmer, who has personal ties to the community through his Jewish wife, emphasized that the recent violence is not an isolated event but part of a wider, more dangerous trend.
In a formal statement issued on Monday, Starmer expressed solidarity with the victims.
“Make no mistake, this crisis – it is a crisis for all of us. It is a test of our values … it is not enough to simply say we stand with Jewish communities. We must show it,” he said.
Tuesday’s summit aims to move beyond rhetoric by involving a broad spectrum of the British establishment. Ministers will host representatives from the policing, business, health, culture, and higher education sectors to coordinate with Jewish communal leaders. This initiative is part of a larger government strategy to accelerate the fight against militancy and bolster social cohesion.
Last week’s Golders Green stabbing, in which two Jewish men were injured, came amid a growing wave of antisemitic incidents in Britain.
Since March 23, Britain has seen a series of arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish-linked targets. On that date, four ambulances belonging to Hatzolah in Golders Green, north London, were set on fire.
In another incident, two petrol-filled bottles and a brick were thrown at the Finchley Reform Synagogue in London. Police later arrested two suspects.
According to the Global Terrorism Index from the Institute for Economics & Peace, hate crimes against the Jewish community in Britain began to rise sharply following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel and the ensuing conflict in Gaza.
The government is currently preparing new legislation designed to address both internal radicalization and state-sponsored threats to national security.
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