The prime minister condemned the lack of consistency when people use the phrase “never again”, as people rightly condemn the persecution of Jewish people during World War Two, but fail to call out antisemitism in other circumstances.
“But where is never again, when we see the poison of antisemitism rising around the world in aftermath of October 7?
“Where is never again, when the pulse of fear is beating in our own Jewish community, as people are despicably targeted once again for the very same reason, because they are Jewish,” Sir Keir added.
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has said that antisemitism in the UK and globally has increased significantly following 7 October attacks in Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Hamas fighters stormed across Israel’s southern border on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages back to Gaza. Israel retaliated with a military offensive, which has been ongoing for more than 15 months.
Last August, the Community Security Trust – a Jewish security charity – said reports of antisemitic incidents in the UK in the first half of 2024 had reached another record high. The charity said the record-high figures were a continuation of the impact of antisemitic reactions to the 7 October attack and ongoing war in Gaza.
Sir Keir’s visit comes as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, which is due to begin on Sunday.
The agreement, more than 15 months after the start of the war in Gaza, will see 33 hostages taken from Israel by Hamas returned in the first stage of the deal, Qatari negotiators have said.
