Rishi Sunak Extends Support to Jews in the UK Amid Israel-Hamas Escalation
In a move to bolster the United Kingdom”s support for Israel during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conveyed his support to the British Jewish community on Saturday. Prior to this, Britain had decided to dispatch surveillance aircraft, two Royal Navy support ships, and approximately 100 Royal Marines to the eastern Mediterranean to assist Israel, according to reports. The Prime Minister”s pro-Israel stance comes in light of reports that over 10 UK citizens have been killed, with many others left stranded in Israel.
Sunak also took the opportunity to denounce the rising antisemitism within the country following the attack by Hamas on Israel. He issued a statement to the Jewish community, saying, “To our Jewish community: I understand that you are hurting and reeling from these vile terrorist acts. At moments like this, when Jewish people are under attack in their homeland, Jewish people everywhere can feel less safe. I stand with you, the British Jewish community, and I will do everything I possibly can to protect you.”
Sunak went on to condemn any protests targeting Jews or pro-Palestine demonstrations as intimidating behavior. He also underscored the importance of addressing antisemitism both online and offline, labeling it as shameful conduct. “We”ve witnessed intimidating behavior and shameful antisemitism online and on our streets, with attempts to stoke tensions. I say: not here. Not in Britain. Not in our country. Not in this century,” Sunak declared.
Rishi Sunak pledged to take every possible measure to ensure the safety of the Jewish community in the country. He vowed to rectify any hindrances to this objective, affirming, “I stand with you, the British Jewish community, not just today, not just tomorrow, but always.”
Sunak also expressed his unwavering support for Israel and condemned the attacks carried out by Hamas militants. He characterized these acts as pure evil and asserted that Israel has every right to defend itself. “No words can begin to describe the horror and barbarism unleashed in Israel a week ago. Daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, and grandparents were taken from people in the cruelest and most horrific way possible. Hundreds of people have been killed, many are wounded or missing, and others are living through the unimaginable agony of having a loved one kidnapped and held hostage,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister extended his condolences to the families of the victims of the recent attacks, acknowledging that British citizens were among those who lost their lives. He expressed his sympathy for the grieving families in both Israel and the UK, stating, “My thoughts and my heart go out to everyone suffering in the wake of these attacks.”
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in the loss of over 3,200 lives on both sides. Despite international efforts to broker a truce, there is no indication that the violence will subside anytime soon.
