- In Europe, only France, Switzerland and Bulgaria had a higher rate of increase
Britain has seen the fourth-highest rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Europe since the Hamas attacks on October 7, “staggering” figures have revealed.
Amid growing concern over US-style pro-Palestine protests at UK universities, a disturbing international ranking yesterday showed that hate crimes targeting Jewish people rose from 1,662 to 4,103 last year (an increase of 146 per cent). hundred).
In Europe, only France, Switzerland and Bulgaria recorded a higher rate of increase, leading campaigners to warn that Britain was “succumbing to a racist mob”.
Disturbingly, the United Kingdom also witnessed 58 percent more assaults against Jews between October 7 and the end of 2023 than the United States, despite having only one-twentieth the number of Jews.
The alarming figures come as universities were accused of abandoning Jewish students due to pro-Palestinian protests sweeping the country.
Britain has experienced the fourth highest rate of anti-Semitic incidents in Europe since Hamas unleashed its terror attack in southern Israel on October 7 last year.
The aftermath of the attack on the Supernova music festival by Palestinian militants on October 7
Students at a camp in the grounds of Newcastle University, protesting against the war in Gaza
West Yorkshire Police at the University of Leeds, where protesters set up tents on campus in solidarity with Palestine.
On Saturday, Edward Isaacs, president of the Jewish Student Union, said campus bosses had not been “allies” to their members and did not make them feel “included.”
Figures compiled in an annual report on antisemitism by Tel Aviv University and the respected Anti-Defamation League found a sharp increase in incidents since October 7 last year in a number of countries.
A subsequent analysis by the Daily Mail found that the percentage increase in the UK was surpassed only by France – home to Europe’s largest Jewish population and where there was a 284 per cent increase in anti-Semitic incidents – Switzerland and Bulgaria.
Outside Europe, incidents recorded in Australia – home to 118,200 Jews – skyrocketed 737 percent, from 79 in October and November 2022 to 662 in the same period 12 months later.
A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said yesterday: ‘These staggering figures are the latest confirmation of the growing antisemitism we are seeing in all areas of British life since the Hamas attack on 7 October.
‘As this report shows, this is not a problem unique to Britain, but Britain is not doing well and every country must act to protect its Jewish community.
“This is not the tolerant Britain we hold dear: this is a Britain succumbing to a racist mob.”
Highlighting how incidents were on the rise globally even before October 7, the report’s authors warned that the Hamas terrorist attack had “helped spread a fire that was already out of control.”
Professor Uriya Shavit, director of the Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jews, warned that “if current trends continue, the curtain will fall on the ability to lead a Jewish life in the West.”
“With bomb threats against synagogues becoming an everyday occurrence, Jewish existence in the West is forced to strengthen, and the more it does, the more the sense of security and normality is undermined,” he added.
