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Britain Tag

It’s getting tougher to be a Jew in Britain. According to a report by the UK’s Community Security Trust, anti-Semitic incidents have skyrocketed in 2014, reaching the highest levels ever recorded. The Simon Wiesenthal Center reports that British Jews are increasingly afraid to visit Jewish-owned stores. A recent UK study finds that almost half of those surveyed believe at least one negative stereotype about Jews is true, including such statements as “Jews chase money more than other British people” and “Jews have too much power in the media”. In March, an angry mob attacked a London synagogue. And earlier this month, the deputy director of a London-based interfaith organization told The Guardian that:
In the last few months, the tone on my Facebook feed has changed. There’s more fear being expressed, and some friends won’t go to events at a synagogue or Jewish community centre now because of the security aspect…Three Faiths Forum works with about 10,000 young people a year. Over the past few months, their questions have become more pertinent and can lead to very challenging discussions. Questions we’ve had to Jewish speakers include: ‘You said Jews believe in charity—do you also believe in killing Palestinian babies?’ and ‘Why do Jews keep money under their hats?’ We had to explain that the man the student had seen was probably just adjusting his kippah under his hat, and that Jews keep money in pockets just like everyone else.”
It’s a lot of awful. Which is why for many British Jews the recent cancellation of a blatantly anti-Zionist and BDS-promoted conference at the University of Southampton has been cause for celebration.

We have documented the rise of anti-Semitism throughout Europe, including the problem of Walking While Jewish, No Jew Go Zones, and the attacks on Jewish institutions, such as a Paris Synagogue. Add another incident to the list. London police responded to an attack on a synagogue last night as a mob of drunk people smashed windows and tried to force their way inside, with shouts of "kill the Jews" heard. The Telegraph reports:
A drunken mob of more than 20 thugs shouted "kill the Jews" as they stormed into a north London synagogue while young worshippers celebrated the end of the sabbath. The anti-Semitic abuse was hurled by the group of men and women as they first beat up a young man outside before chasing him inside, breaking windows and attacking others.
The Times of Israel reports:
Six men were arrested in London early Sunday morning after a large crowd of party revelers attacked a synagogue, breaking windows and trying to forcing their way inside According to The Mirror tabloid, trouble started after an intoxicated gang of around 20 young men and women, who had been at a party in a nearby house, tried to enter the synagogue on Craven Park Road in the heart of London’s Stamford Hill area, home to Europe’s largest ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. One Jewish man suffered light injuries to his face as he tried to prevent the gang from entering the premises. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

We have posted several times about what it is like to be Walking While Jewish in various places in Europe, including Paris, Copenhagen, and Malmö, Sweden. The fact is that in many places in Europe, it is dangerous to be seen Walking While Jewish. Including in Britain, as The Daily Mail demonstrated (h/t Isreally Cool):
With as many as 45 per cent of British Jews fearing they 'may not have a future in Britain', according to a survey by the Campaign Against Antisemitism - and following an experiment by Israeli Zvika Klein on the streets of Paris, British journalist Jonathan Kalmus decided to test the levels of prejudice in two British cities with shocking results. Volunteers in Copenhagen and Rome also suffered some abuse, as well as welcoming reactions, while Jewish journalists in Stockholm and Berlin walked for hours without incident. 'You Jew' was the anti-Semitic scream which came from a passing car. My shaken wife tried to explain it away to my seven-year-old daughter as a very large sneeze. They were simply playing in a local park in Manchester a few weeks ago when the incident ripped through what should have been a peaceful and wholesome time for any mother and child.

Last month we started writing about the mounting support for Scottish independence. Depending on which poll you read and who you listen to, an independent Scotland is either imminent or a pipe dream. Saturday, YouGov released a poll showing the pro-independence movement with a lead over the British loyalists. Although the "yes" votes only had a two point lead over the "no"s, this marked the first time the independence movement had polled above their competition. And there was much rejoicing. YouGov Scottish Independence Poll Just last night, another poll was released with the opposite results. According to the Daily Record:

Britain, home to many of the Jihadists fighting for ISIS, including the likely beheader of James Foley, has just raised its terror threat level. The Telegraph reports, Terror attack on UK 'highly likely' as threat level raised:
The UK terror threat level has been raised to its second highest meaning an attack on the country is “highly likely”. It is the first time the threat level has been at “severe” since 2011 when it was reduced to “substantial”. Theresa May, the Home Secretary, said the decision was taken in light of the increasing dangers posed by British fanatics and other foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria.... Police and security services have long been concerned over the large numbers of British jihadists travelling to Syria and Iraq. It is feared more than 500 have gone and around half of those are now back in the UK, with some possibly planning attacks here. At least one plot is known to have already been foiled.
Is Britain finally will to address the Jihadis among it? Prime Minister David Cameron says Britain is, but that's far from clear, particularly in light of the disgusting disclosure recently that fear of being called "racist" led British authorities to ignore for over a decade Pakistani-community rape gangs targeting over 1400 white teenagers based on race and religion. Here is Cameron's address today:

Nothing, really. Ignorance. Hate. Demonization. You name it. You'll find it in London, Chicago, and just about anywhere you find anti-Israel street protests. From London, via Harry's Place, which has even more videos: From Chicago, where a pro-Israel fundraiser hosted by Mayor Rahm Emanual and former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren was distrupted with shouting by "Jewish Voice for Peace" activists:

Laurel will have more later on how Israeli Apartheid Week on U.S. campuses appears to have withered this year. This nasty hate fest, that in past years has generated a lot of energy and publicity, has passed largely unnoticed in the U.S. There have been some events, but mostly the wind seems to be out of the sail. I don't know whether this is a sign of weakness in the BDS movement overall, or if they just are too busy planning other stunts. I could not wait, however, to bring you this video from the Sussex (England) Friends of Israel about the failure of a BDS march. There are many more videos at this link.
Meet one of the protesters:

As critical as I have been and continue to be of Obama's foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East, I have a great unease with the schadenfreude being experienced in many corners over the vote in the British House of Commons refusing to take the...

The House of Commons is debating intervention in Syria right now. Watch LIVE Replay of full debate: Update 5:50 (h/t Drudge): UK Prime Minister Cameron loses Syria war vote: British Prime Minister David Cameron has lost a vote endorsing military action against Syria by 13 votes, a...

Took place today in London. Despite calls for protests, there was little disruption. Via The Telegraph: ...

Who is surprised? President Obama's delegation to the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is drawing some flak in London. Two former Republican Secretaries of State -- James Baker and George Shultz -- will lead the U.S. delegation to the Thatcher funeral on Wednesday. Some British...

Could be either, except that Israel didn't exist in the 1930s. Israel Matzav has the story. Image via CAMERA:   Related: “there is no future for Jews in England”; see also, Melanie Phillips, A LibDem MP gives voice to Britain's national sickness. Update 1-29-2013 -- Rupert Murdoch Apologizes for Netanyahu...