As I write, we know nothing about the perpetrator of today’s attack in Manchester. But we know lots about the context of the attack, because we Jews have been living and breathing it for some years, with increasing desperation that it would lead to an incident such as today’s.
Last night in London, for example, a “pro-Palestine” mob took over one of the busiest streets, setting of fireworks and chanting for Israel’s destruction. They were left to their own devices, free to do what they wanted when they wanted, and to chant whatever they liked. And it was entirely normal. Because that is where we are now. Mobs of supposed "Free Palestine” protestors are given free rein. The authorities stand and watch.
The other night I was driving along Holborn when a convoy of cyclists with Palestine flags screamed abuse and brought chaos to the area. There were no police anywhere to be seen.
Today’s attack in Manchester was always coming, because the authorities have made it clear to Jew haters that they are effectively free to go about their business. When they chant “Khaybar, Khaybar, Ya Yahud! Jaish Mohammad sawf ya’ud!” on the hate marches, (“Khaybar, Khaybar, O Jews! The Army of Muhammad Will Return!” – a reference to the battle of Khaybar in 628, when Mohamed’s army besieged and destroyed a thriving Jewish community) the police stand and watch. When they call for global intifada – the murder of Jews – no one does a thing.
The message sent by the authorities could hardly be clearer – Jew hate is fine. And the Jew haters take that message and run with it. They run with it when they parade through the streets of our cities. They run with it when they desecrate memorials to those killed on October 7 and tributes to the hostages, as in Brighton. They run with it when they scream abuse at Jews. They run with it on social media, where antisemitism is so open and common that it barely even registers any more. And they run with it when they commit atrocities as in Manchester today.
We have already heard that awful lie today, that there is no place for antisemitism in Britain. It’s a lie because the evidence could not be clearer that there is a very welcome place for antisemitism in Britain, and the more the merrier. Today’s attack will prompt so much more of it. But when hundreds of thousands are allowed to do their worst, and the authorities stand and watch, we know what it means. It means Jew hate. It means attacks. It means Manchester.
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