The United Kingdom is a country with which I am very familiar, and very fond. I first served at the Embassy of Israel here some 15 years ago, and I am delighted to have returned, now as Deputy Ambassador and currently Chargé d’Affaires.
Many of you I will already have had the pleasure of meeting, but to those I have not, I very much look forward to getting to know you in the weeks and months ahead. It is also a particular pleasure to be celebrating Rosh Hashanah in London once again.
Although the places in Britain remain familiar to me, much has changed since my previous posting. The challenges facing Israel and Jewish communities here and around the world are significantly graver.
The world has undoubtedly become a darker place for Jews since Hamas launched its barbaric attack against innocent Israeli men, women and children on 7 October 2023. Once again, in a disturbing echo of history, Jews are being made scapegoats for wider grievances and deeper problems, here in Britain and across the world.
I return at a moment of considerable challenge. The relationship between Israel and the UK has certainly seen better days. Israel remains a country in mourning, living with tragedy and the consequences of 7 October.
Nearly three years later, the pain of those who were murdered and kidnapped remains deeply felt and present in Israeli society.
There is something symbolic about the fact that Israeli diplomats, like many diplomats, tend to arrive at their postings during the summer, just before the school year begins and shortly before Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Hebrew year. Rosh Hashanah offers us an opportunity to look back on the year that has passed, to consider where we stand and to think seriously about where we wish to go next.
Here in the UK, antisemitic hatred has continued to rise to deeply disturbing levels. The horrific terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue, in which Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed defending their shul, the stabbing attack in Golders Green, the arson attack on four Hatzola ambulances in the same area, and the controversy surrounding the decision to prevent Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a match in Birmingham are only a few examples. Sadly, they are by no means the only ones.
Members of the community will not need statistics to understand this reality. Many will have experienced antisemitism themselves or seen it directed against their children, friends or loved ones.
Against this backdrop, the relationship between Israel and Britain matters enormously. It has endured many ups and downs throughout history. From the days of the British Mandate to the governments of today, ours has been a long, complicated and enduring relationship.
Yet at its foundation lies something important. Israel and the UK are natural allies. We are democracies. We believe in open societies, innovation, the rule of law and the right of free peoples to determine their own future.
Our two countries also share deep historical, economic, technological and security ties. For decades, Britain and Israel have worked together to advance shared interests and confront shared dangers. A strong Israel is firmly in Britain’s interests, just as a strong partnership with Britain is in Israel’s.
It may seem today that we are entering a perilous moment in that relationship. There are fears of further deterioration, and recent decisions have undoubtedly placed additional strain on ties between our governments.
The British Government’s punitive measures against Israel are deeply regrettable. This is not how we would expect a friend to treat an ally facing profound security threats, and Israel naturally reserves the right to respond to measures taken against it.
Prime Minister Burnham’s new administration has so far offered little indication of a desire to restore the relationship to the path it once followed. Continued deterioration would damage the interests of both countries and risk worsening the atmosphere experienced by Britain’s Jewish community.
Political moments can be difficult. Governments can disagree. Relationships can be strained. But history teaches us that no difficult moment is necessarily permanent. Our shared democratic traditions remain alive and well, and the deeper foundations of the relationship have not disappeared.
Following Rosh Hashanah comes Yom Kippur, followed by Sukkot and Simchat Torah. These are among the most important moments in the Jewish calendar. They are individual, familial and communal. They are moments of celebration, introspection, memory and reflection.
By observing them, Jewish communities do more than preserve tradition. We share our values, culture and faith with our neighbours and with those who genuinely wish to understand who we are. That spirit of reflection should have meaning beyond the synagogue. I hope the British Government will also use this period to reflect upon the direction of our relationship and consider a different path.
Britain should recognise Israel’s fundamental right to defend itself and the necessity of ensuring that the security reality of 6 October 2023 can never return. Hamas and other terrorist organisations, together with state actors, such as the Islamic Republic of Iran, have destabilised the Middle East and threaten the western world.
Israel must ensure that those who sought to destroy us can never again possess the capability to inflict such pain and devastation upon our people. No country would accept such a threat indefinitely, and neither will Israel.
Rosh Hashanah is ultimately a festival of hope. It is about renewal, reflection and the possibility that the year ahead can be better than the one that has passed. May I wish you and your families, here in the United Kingdom and in Israel, a peaceful, happy and healthy year ahead.
May this new year bring greater security and peace for the Jewish people, and a renewed sense of partnership between two countries that still have so much to gain from standing together.
Shanah tovah.
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