Starmer, British officials meet with UK Jews on antisemitism, hostages

The UK Jewish groups said that they had emphasized to Starmer a need to keep the frequent anti-Israel demonstrations in the country away from synagogues and Jewish community sites.

By MICHAEL STARR DECEMBER 3, 2024 18:11 Updated: DECEMBER 3, 2024 18:16

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech, following his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, in London, Britain, July 6, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/CLAUDIA GRECO)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other officials met with major United Kingdom Jewish organizations on Friday and Monday to discuss concerns about rising antisemitism and hostages held by Hamas.

Representatives from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Jewish Leadership Council, Community Security Trust, and the Union of Jewish Students asked Starmer to review hate crime legislation, policing, and prosecution at a Friday 10 Downing Street meeting. The groups said in a joint statement that the government needed to address extremism from the far right, far left, and radical Islamists.

The UK Jewish groups said that they had emphasized to Starmer a need to keep the frequent anti-Israel demonstrations in the country away from synagogues and Jewish community sites. UJS president Sami Berkoff reportedly called for an anonymous reporting system for students facing abuse on campus.

Concern about ICC arrest warrants

Concern was raised to Starmer about the Recent International Criminal Court issuance of warrants for Israeli leaders, reiterated the need for the proscription of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the plight of hostages held by Gazan terrorist organizations. Starmer reportedly said that hostage families, which included British hostages such as Emily Damari, were enduring "torture."

The Board and JLC also expressed that the government's changing policies on the VAT, business rates, and insurance changes would impact Jewish charities and schools, and the quartet also suggested a new "British Jewish Culture Month" to showcase "the Jewish contribution to UK society, economy, and culture."

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in London, 5 October 2024 (credit: SCREENSHOT/X)

"We raised the community's deep concern about the seemingly relentless antisemitism we have seen at protests, Jewish community buildings, on campus, online, in workplaces, the NHS, the cultural sphere, and even against Jewish pupils on their way to school," said Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg, JLC chair Keith Black, CST chairman Sir Gerald Ronson, and UJS President Sami Berkoff.

"We found the Prime Minister to be informed, concerned and engaged. He and we have committed to engage across Government departments to ensure the action we need to reclaim our streets, campuses, and community buildings from racist thugs, and ensure a secure and thriving future for the UK Jewish community."

Starmer on Monday also attended the annual Labour Friends of Israel lunch alongside Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Secretary David Lammy and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves. LFI noted on social media that it was the first time that a Labour Party prime minister had addressed the event in 17 years, and that with over 550 participants it was the biggest annual lunch since 2009

Rosenberg said on social media that attendees heard from the hostage families including that of Avinatan Or. According to LFI, Damari's mother told the UK political leaders that "Emily is still out there, fighting with everything she has to stay alive. We owe it to her, and to ourselves, to fight just as hard."  

The Board, JLC, and Merseyside Jewish Representative Council met on Monday with a roundtable of Parliament members, Merseyside Police, and local council members to discuss antisemitism in the Northern county. Panels focused on policing and resilience, the perspective of British Jews on Israel, and the Jewish campus life since October 7.