British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed zero tolerance for anti-Semitism in the UK following a series of protests in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, and Belfast over the Israel-Hamas conflict. Sunak emphasized that “calls for jihad” pose a threat not only to the Jewish community but also to the democratic values of the United Kingdom.
Over the weekend, several demonstrations took place, with nearly 100,000 people gathering in London and thousands in other cities. Some of these demonstrations witnessed disorder and instances of hate speech. The Metropolitan Police reported that five officers sustained minor injuries during the protests. Additionally, a video from a Hizb ut-Tahrir protest showed a man chanting “jihad.” While the term “jihad” has various meanings, the police did not identify any specific offenses in the video.
Prime Minister Sunak, who recently visited Israel to stand in solidarity, expressed his support for Israel’s right to defend itself and take action against Hamas. During his visit to Tel Aviv, he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and thanked Israel for its efforts to minimize harm to civilians.
“I know you are taking every precaution to not harm civilians, unlike Hamas. Thank you for the evacuation of British citizens. We recognize Palestinians are the victims of Hamas too,” Sunak stated during a joint conference with Netanyahu.
The UK’s strong stance against anti-Semitism and its support for Israel in the ongoing conflict reflect the government’s commitment to both democratic values and international partnerships.