Jewish leaders asked the Prime Minister to help “celebrate” the community in Britain by establishing a “British Jewish Culture Month” as well as “defending” it from antisemitism in a 45-minute meeting at Downing Street today. 

The meeting followed a letter to Sir Keir Starmer highlighting the rising threat to Jews last week, in the wake of mobs targeting the JW3 community centre in October and a campaign of vandalism by the Palestine Action group, including the “kidnap” and “beheading” of statues linked to Israel.

Downing Street responded to the letter by arranging to meet Jewish officials within a week. The wide-ranging meeting included a discussion about antisemitism in Britain as well as foreign issues like the Government’s position on the international arrest warrant for Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The Prime Minister was definitely in listening mode” one of those present told the JC. “The fact that the meeting was scheduled so quickly was really heartening.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets Jewish community leaders at 10 Downing Street, November 29, 2024 (Credit: Board of Deputies of British Jews)

Present at the meeting were Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies, and the group’s chief executive, Michael Wegier, as well as the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) leaders Keith Black and Claudia Mendoza.

The Community Security Trust (CST) was represented by Sir Gerald Ronson and chief executive Mark Gardner, while the Union of Jewish Students’ president Sami Berkoff and chair of trustees Daniel Dangoor also attended.

Berkoff explained to the prime minister the difficulties Jewish students encounter when reporting instances of antisemitism they face on campus. Starmer reportedly agreed that action must be taken on a scheme whereby students can report cases anonymously.

The delegation also raised concern over the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Benjamin Netanyahu. While the Jewish leaders suggested that Britain follow the example of France – which has confirmed that Netanyahu will benefit from diplomatic immunity in the country – the Prime Minister insisted that Britain would uphold “international law”, though he deplored the false equivalence drawn between Israel and Hamas and supported Jerusalem’s right of self-defence. 

The Prime Minister was also made aware of a cross-communal call for the proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of the Iranian regime in Britain.

The delegation asked the Prime Minister for a review of hate crime legislation, policing and prosecution, and spoke about the need to keep anti-Israel demonstrations away from synagogues and Jewish community spaces.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets Jewish community leaders at 10 Downing Street, November 29, 2024 (Credit: Board of Deputies of British Jews)

The community representatives discussed measures which the government could take to “tangibly improve” life for the British Jewish community, recommendations on combatting antisemitism, and ways in which to support Jewish charities and schools.

Following the meeting, Rosenberg, Black, Sir Ronson, and Berkoff said in a statement they reached an agreement to commit to cross government department action to ensure the Jewish community “reclaims our streets campuses, and community buildings from racist thugs, and ensures a secure and thriving future” for the community.

They raised the community’s “deep concern about the seemingly relentless antisemitism we have seen at protests, at Jewish community buildings, on campus, online, in workplaces, the NHS, the cultural sphere, and even against Jewish pupils on their way to school.

“Outside the Jewish community, businesses with real or imagined links to Israel, and indeed our politicians, have faced harassment and criminal damage. Some have even been chased from their homes, places of work or places of worship.”

Finding the prime minister to be “informed, concerned and engaged”, they shared their view that “this continued crossing of red lines is not just a threat to Jewish security. It is a threat to national security.”