2006: A Record Year for British Jew Hatred

Seven years ago, the Chief Rabbi of Britain, Rabbi Sacks, said that his country was in the midst of the worst Anti-Semitism since the Shoah. The Rabbi was right on, as today a report was released saying that incidents have been rising every year and that 2006 was a record year for Jewish hatred in the country.

Of course there is a bit of white-washing it the report also. It blames the rise on British Jews being blamed for things which they have no control [I guess they mean Israel]. Of course they don't mention the incredible rise in Muslim population in Great Britain. Or the fact that Mr. Straw spent year telling the nation how awful Israel was, on a daily basis.

Anti-Semitic attacks at record level

By Paul Majendie

LONDON (Reuters) - Anti-Semitic attacks reached record levels in Britain last year and peaked during the conflict in Lebanon, a study showed on Thursday.

Race hate incidents -- ranging from death threats to physical assault -- rose by more than 30 percent to almost 600.

"These are the worst figures we have had in the 23 years since we have been monitoring it," said Mark Gardner of the Community Security Trust, which advises Britain's estimated 300,000 Jews on safety issues.

"British Jews are stupidly blamed and randomly attacked over international tensions for which they bear no responsibility," Gardner said.

British Jewish leaders say attacks have risen steadily since 2000 with Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks warning that "a tsunami of anti-Semitism" was sweeping across Europe.

Gardner said last year's incidents peaked during the month-long war between IsraelLebanon which started in July, adding the spike then was specifically anti-Semitic and not just anger with Israel. and Hizbollah guerrillas in

He said the trend was mirrored across Europe. "It happens in diaspora communities throughout Europe with any trigger like the Lebanon conflict," he told Reuters.

"But it is quite difficult to compare with other countries as the sizes of the Jewish communities are quite different. The situation in France has improved slightly from the days when synagogues were being fire-bombed," he added.

Gardner said four of the incidents last year were potentially life-threatening. A Jewish man was stabbed in London, others were beaten with metal bars and broken bottles.

"I want to kill all Jews and my name is Hitler," one Arab shouted before punching an Orthodox Jew in the face at a London underground railway station and trying to push him off the platform.

Gravestones were desecrated, synagogues daubed with slogans and hate mail sent to a Jewish member of parliament.

Gardner said: "This is certainly not comparable with the 1930s or anything remotely like that. But anti-Semitism should be judged by the same standards as any other standards that British citizens enjoy."

He said anti-Semitism rose when society faced underlying problems. "Britain is an excellent place to be a Jew but questions are being asked about what the future holds for future generations."

The threat from radical Islam, rammed home by the July 2005 suicide bomb attacks in London, has led to a profound rethink of its attitude to ethnic minorities.

The government has launched a debate on whether the long-standing policy of avoiding imposing a single British identity in a multi-cultural society has led to segregation of ethnic minorities.

Just maybe, the reason for the the Anti-Semitic bias incidents is Parliament reports like this :

(JPOST 1/31/07) In a parliamentary report published on Wednesday, the International Development Committee of the British Parliament questioned the international community's decision to isolate Hamas, which they referred to as "a democratically elected government"

"We understand the reasons for this decision but doubt whether it is in fact the most effective response. Indeed, the withholding of revenues by Israel and the boycott of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority by existing donors has led the Hamas government increasingly to look elsewhere for financial support. As a result, Hamas now has closer links to governments like that of Iran than it had two years ago."

The report, entitled Development, Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, recommends that Western governments open dialogue with Hamas to further the peace process: "We believe that the international community is right to place pressure on Hamas to change those policies which militate against a peace process. However, this would best be achieved through dialogue and engagement, rather than isolation."

Commenting on the report, Professor Gerald Steinberg, executive director of the NGO Monitor, said: "The report is more of an ideologically motivated attack on Israel that repeats tired slogans, rather than a serious analysis of the impact, if any, of massive British aid to the Palestinians. The text relies heavily on false allegations made by highly politicized NGOs, many of whom are funded by DFID, thereby undermining the objectivity and credibility of the committee´s investigation. For example, War on Want is quoted as calling for suspending Israel´s Association Agreement with the EU, using false human rights accusations in which the context of massive Palestinian terror is erased. Similarly, the report gives legitimacy to BADIL, an NGO that promotes extremist Palestinian refugee claims that extend the conflict and prevent compromise. And Christian Aid, whose campaigns with Sabeel promote boycotts, divestment and demonization, repeats the slogans that blame Israel for Palestinian poverty, ignoring the corruption and internal violence."