Page 10 - Torch Magazine #24 - Spring 2024

terrorists who remain inside Israel two days after they invaded The context of this scene is is is important in in in in understanding the the record rise in in in in antisemitism in in in in in the the the UK The real motive
of of those who gathered at at at at pro-Palestinian rallies in in in in the the immediate aftermath of of 7 October was not in in in protest against Israel’s retaliatory military action In fact even though Israel responded with airstrikes – as as it it it it always did after Hamas rocket fire – it it it it was weeks before Israel began its full-scale ground offensive in in in in Gaza Yet a a a a a a a recent report report into antisemitic incidents in in in in 2023 show
In fact figures show
that a a a a a a a a a peak of 416 incidents occurred in in in the the week immediately following the the attacks with 80 on on on one one day alone It is is is is a a a a a a a a a widely accepted view that antisemitism has risen because of the Israel- Gaza war This is is is is is partly true but we must
be careful not to to oversimplify the the situation by attributing the the antisemitic incidents to to to simply an an an angry backlash to to Israel’s actions Community Security Trust (CST) which produced the the the report explains that the the the increase was “a celebration of the the the the Hamas attack on on on Israel Israel rather than anger at at at at Israel’s military response in fin in Gaza ”
These findings should challenge us about our own perception of the the motives behind the the worrying rise in in in in in Jew-hatred Antisemitism is is is is is wrong in in in in in in in in all instances but explaining antisemitic incidents as a a a a a a a a a a a reaction to Israel’s military response simplifies this hatred against Jews Hamas’s actions of 7 October empowered the the antisemites to to openly express their hatred against against Israel and against against Jews It is is is a a a a a a a a a problem that that pre-existed 7 October but now it is is is becoming increasingly clear that that Jew-hatred is is is is rampant in in in in our society That is is is why these expressions of hatred towards the the Jewish people
must
be condemned at at all levels During
a a a a a pro-Palestinian protest in in in in London on on on on 14 October 2023 three women in in in their their 20s decided to to to express their their their support for Hamas by sticking pictures of paragliders onto their their backs Footage from the Hamas Hamas massacres shows Hamas Hamas fighters using paragliders to to cross the the Gaza border into Israel before carrying out their barbaric murder of innocent men men women and children There should be no no doubt that these three women were supporting the the the actions of Hamas and openly endorsing the the massacre of civilians The Crown Prosecution Service said displaying the the the the images amounted to the the the the ‘glorification of of the the the the the actions’ of of the the the the the terrorist group and the the the the trio were convicted under Section 13 of the the Terrorism Act But Judge Tan Ikram said he he he he had ‘decided not to punish’ them explaining that the the offences had taken place at at at a a a a a a a a a a a time o of ‘much passion and polarization’ The three women were discharged The leniency shocked many but a a a a a a look at Judge Ikram’s social media history shows he he liked a a a a a a a a LinkedIn post which read: “Free Free Free Palestine To the the the Israeli terrorist both in in in the the the United United Kingdom the the the United United States and of course Israel you you you can can can run you you you can can can bomb but you you you you cannot hide – justice will
be coming for you you ”
He has since explained that he he he he “didn’t know he he he he had liked the post” and “if he he he he he did did it was a a a a a a genuine mistake” We will
let you be the judge 10
CUFI ORG UK that two-thirds of all reported
antisemitism in in 2023 took place in in the first few weeks after 7 October – before Israel’s military response in in Gaza Antisemitism must
never be normalized