Zionist Federation director Alan Aziz has said that the best response to rising anti-Zionist sentiment in Brighton is “to bring more Israeli activity, culture, education and training”.

Mr Aziz was speaking after a meeting hosted by the Sussex Jewish Representative Council at West Hove Synagogue to discuss local protests against Israeli performers and commercial interests. Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has backed the demonstrations outside the Israeli-owned EcoStream store in her Brighton Pavilion constituency, although she has said she does not believe the shop should close.

Joining Mr Aziz on the panel were Simon Cobbs, who has led counter-demonstrations, Board of Deputies vice-president Alex Brummer and the Belfast community’s Stephen Jaffe, who helps regional groups with Israel advocacy.

The rep council’s Debra Goodman pointed out that “part of the remit of the SJRC is to ‘protect the interests of the Sussex Jewish community’, a role we take very seriously. The number of people who attended the meeting shows that the community is also taking the current situation seriously.”