Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Thursday criticized the British government’s handling of antisemitism in the country, after the stabbing attack in Golders Green in which two Jewish men were injured.
In a statement, Sa’ar called on the British government to tackle the anti-Israel incitement in the country.
“The UK government cannot claim to be fighting the horrific wave of antisemitism and Jew-hatred if it’s not fighting the rabid and explicit incitement against the Jewish state," said the Foreign Minister.
“Hate slogans and antisemitic marches in the streets of London aren’t ‘free speech’. They are incitement. They bring terror directed against Jews. They must be banned. The phrase ‘Globalize the Intifada’, means killing Jews everywhere. It must be banned," continued Sa’ar.
“This is what the British government must immediately do to fight antisemitism. Otherwise, it’s just more empty words," he concluded.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said earlier on Thursday that the government is taking "immediate action" to deal with the UK's antisemitism crisis following the Golders Green stabbing.
Later, the United Kingdom raised its national terror threat level from "substantial" to "severe" following the antisemitic stabbing attack.
The attack in Golders Green came amid a growing wave of antisemitic incidents in Britain since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Since March 23, Britain has seen a series of arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish-linked targets. On that date, four ambulances belonging to Hatzolah in Golders Green, north London, were set on fire.
Two weeks ago, two petrol-filled bottles and a brick were thrown at the Finchley Reform Synagogue in London. Police later arrested two suspects.