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Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Anti-Semitism Amichai Chikli has shocked the British political community by calling on Jews to leave the UK due to the government’s “unprecedented hostility” to Israel and the rise of anti-Semitism, for which he believes the Labour Party is responsible.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Chickli said:
“Unless the British political leadership radically changes its course, I see no future for Jewish life in England. My recommendation to Jews is to think about repatriating to Israel.”
He also called the UK government “one of the most hostile to Israel in history” and sharply criticised London’s recent sanctions against Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich:
“Sanctions against democratically elected representatives of Israel, just because Labour doesn’t like their views, crosses all the red lines.”
Chickli also accused Labour leader Keir Starmer of “tacitly collaborating with Hamas sympathisers” and mentioned that he had not condemned Hamas during the second hostage exchange:
“Starmer is well aware that a large part of his electorate are Hamas supporters.”
The minister criticised the British police for being selective:
“When they ban Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation with one hand, they allow mass marches with slogans like ‘from the river to the sea’ and ‘jihad’ with the other.”
He also mentioned the arrests of Jews who “seem to provoke” protesters by holding placards near rallies in support of Hamas.
These statements by Chikli caused a loud response in both Israel and the UK. The reaction of the UK government and representatives of the British Jewish community is expected.
