Letters to the Editor, May 8 2026

Watford

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Jewish leaders must stop claiming that these murderous attacks are somehow attacks on “us all”. They are simply not. They are attempts to murder Jews. No one else is being stabbed or firebombed.

Shimon Cohen

London N2

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Recent BBC and other articles are extremely sympathetic towards the Jewish community, reporting in depth on the fear felt by so many due to the surge in antisemitic attacks and intimidation. But I fear that their excessive solicitude for the emotional welfare of British Jews is, at least subconsciously, just a further cover for continuing antisemitism.

It strikes me that, just as the alleged “genocide” in Gaza has been functioning as what is now being called a “permission structure” for antisemitism on the streets of Britain, this newer wave of conspicuous concern for British Jews is itself becoming a permission structure for the continued demonisation of Israel and the false allegation of genocide.

By going to such lengths, almost in a tone of mea culpa, to insist that of course British Jews shouldn’t have been and cannot be held responsible for the appalling actions of Israel in Gaza, the underlying premise is smuggled in and reinforced: that those actions are indeed appalling, and that Netanyahu is beyond the pale, even demonic. In other words, the disclaimer does not challenge the narrative; it entrenches it.

In doing so, the BBC, national politicians and others continue to avoid naming the actual problem and the threat it poses within and indeed to the UK itself, without which it cannot be meaningfully addressed. At the same time, they create a rhetorical space in which one can say: of course British Jews are not responsible; but surely we can all agree that it’s beyond dispute that Israel, and Netanyahu, are beyond appalling.

From there, it is a very short step to suggesting that Jews, or others, who support Israel (and certainly those who support Netanyahu, whether explicitly or implicitly by being Zionist) in fact become legitimate targets of “righteous” anger – not due to their being Jewish per se, but because they themselves have actually explicitly or implicitly sided with the Devil, the Nazi, the Antichrist. The framework for a purity test is thus reinforced: one that justifies and enables protest, intimidation, and ultimately violence against Jews, while maintaining a false veneer of moral distinction.

Yitzchak Freeman

Beit Shemesh, Israel

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The Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s proposal to recruit 300 specially trained officers, permanently based in north-west London to protect the Jewish community, is to be welcomed (The Met will do everything to protect the Jewish community – but only wider society can tackle the disease of antisemitism, May 3). The acid test of the Commissioner’s seriousness, is whether, in the light of the Golders Green terror attack, he requests permission from the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmoud, who has expressed her antipathy to hate marches-to ban the inflammatory pro-Palestinian Nakba march on May 16.

Stan Labovitch

Windsor

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The torrent of current antisemitic crimes has a two-pronged cause: the government’s deliberate spreading of lies and disinformation on Israel and the Jewish community leaders’ silence and inaction in face of this assault on morality.

Britain and others have never stated that Israel is the ultimate de-colonisation project and instead refer to it as an “occupier”, denying it even the one quarter of Palestine it received by a unanimous vote at the League of Nations in 1922, while unashamedly honouring the foreign implant occupying the rest of it – Jordan. These hypocrisies and evasions of historical truths are precisely what generates antizionism and Jew hatred. This is also why Britain’s Jews are so angry at the government’s incongruous expressions of sympathy.

Britain must recognise and own its lion share of responsibility for the unfolding Jewish tragedy. It must remove the lie of “occupation” and other distortions of facts from its lexicon. It then must make rules against such falsehoods being disseminated by others – and it must apply those rules to any violators. Jewish community leaders must partner with the government as well as publicise the truth independently.

Eda Spinka

London NW4

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UK politics

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I am amazed to see that some of your readers are of the view that the Reform Party (or Nigel Farage specifically) is somehow part of the modern scourge of antisemitism in Britain. This seems delusional to me. I think people should pay heed to what modern politicians are saying and doing (or indeed failing to do) today, and not what Mr Farage allegedly may have said or done 50 years ago when he was 12 years old! Violent antisemitism is on the rise in Britain. But it is manifestly being fuelled almost entirely by the toxic coalition between the far left and Islamism. People may or may not support the policies of Reform. But suggesting they are some kind of particular menace towards British Jews is bunkum.

Jonathan Burgess

SN1

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At the JC’s recent online event Face the Voters, the Green Party’s London Assembly Leader Caroline Russell made several comments about Israel committing war crimes, human rights abuses and breaking international law, as if these were established facts. No such comments were made about Hamas, Hezbollah, or any of the others dedicated to destroying Israel and killing Jews.

In doing so she revealed the Green Party’s institutional Israelophobia. Despite warm words about being opposed to antisemitism, she clearly is not aware of the effect that demonising Israel has on stoking it. Together with the usual bromides about standing against hate, the right to protest, name-checking Islamophobia, and saying Mayor Khan had shown “real leadership on antisemitism”, I was left with the feeling that the Green mindset is so open that its brains have fallen out.

These ritual denunciations of Israel from the Green Party make it an impossible choice for anyone, Jewish or not, who cares about national security, Jewish safety and the future of British Jews.

Stephanie Bennett

Twickenham

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Sadly missed

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I was sad to read the obituary of George Rothschild: I still clearly remember his awe-inspiring and heartfelt renditions at the New London Synagogue, which my parents often said must be due in part to have been inspired by his wartime experiences that you chronicle. Two weeks before my barmitzvah I went to see Rabbi Dr Louis Jacobs so that he could hear me recite my portion. When his face turned white I knew something was wrong: it transpired that my Hebrew teacher had taught me the maftir tune for the haftarah. What to do? Enter George. For the next fortnight he came to our house every day and drove me to the local park where we sat (wreathed in cigarette smoke) and practised. I still recite my portion from time to time some 60 years on and whenever I do I still recall George’s instructions: “put more stress onto that syllable; hold that note for longer; again!” . A memorable man.

Peter Fineman

Barrow Street

Wilts