‘Record wave’ of anti-Israeli sentiments in Britain during Israel-Gaza conflict, monitor says

They included people targeting “random Jewish people”, including school children, with abuse and graffiti on synagogues, reported by The Independent.

A report said that “violent rhetoric and extremist incitement” was seen online and from a small minority of protesters at some pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

The Community Security Trust (CST) recorded 628 anti-Israeli sentiments between 8 May and 7 June, the highest number ever recorded in a month.
 

Incidents dealt with by the police include an attack on Rabbi Rafi Goodwin near his synagogue in north London.

Separately, four men were arrested after passengers in a convoy of cars covered with Palestinian flags were heard to use offensive language and make threats against Jewish people in London.

The CST said 585 out of the 628 anti-Israeli sentiments recorded involved language, imagery or behaviour linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Its counted 112 examples of individuals targeting random Jewish people or Jewish neighbourhoods with shouts of “free Palestine”, Palestinian flags or both.

The CST said it did not treat the phrases “free Palestine” or “free Gaza” as anti-Israeli sentiments unless were used to specifically target Jewish people, and that some incidents also included abusive or threatening language.

Around 150 incidents were related to schools and universities, with the most common type seeing Jewish students or teachers “singled out and targeted”. Death threats were sent to Jewish students in two incidents.

The CST recorded a small number of incidents at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including speakers invoking anti-Israeli sentiments and calling Jews “impure people”, and placards comparing Israel to Nazi Germany.

The report said: “Most pro-Palestinian campaigning in the UK falls within legitimate political activism and is not the subject of this new report. However, several pro-Palestinian demonstrations across Britain included antisemitic placards, chantsand speeches from a minority of participants. Some of these appeared to be illegal while others used extreme political or religious language.”

The conflict began on 10 May after weeks of rising Israeli-Palestinian tension in East Jerusalem because of Israel's colonialist plans that culminated in clashes at al-Aqsa.
 

According to United Nations figures for the 11-day conflict, 256 Palestinians including 66 children were killed in Gaza.