The incident involving a collision between a service vehicle and an Israeli aircraft at London's Luton Airport may still be under investigation, but for Arutz Sheva CEO and Editor-in-Chief Uzi Baruch, it reflects a much broader and more troubling reality. Speaking on Israeli radio following the incident, Baruch warned that antisemitism in Britain is no longer confined to isolated demonstrations but has become increasingly visible across London's streets and public institutions.
"The incident is still under investigation, and it will take time before we know exactly what happened," Baruch said of the airplane collision. "But we've seen a growing number of antisemitic incidents in London, particularly in the Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green."
A frequent visitor to the British capital, Baruch said the atmosphere has changed dramatically over recent years. He noted that many observant Jews now think twice before wearing a kippah in public, even though he himself chose to do so during a recent visit.
"I walked around wearing my kippah, but people warned me that I could be putting myself and others at risk," he said.
According to Baruch, the transformation extends far beyond the Jewish community. He described a London where pro-Palestinian activism has become increasingly prominent and where public expressions supporting Islamist causes are more visible than in the past.
"Anyone who has walked London's streets over the past twenty years can see that something serious is happening," he said.
Baruch believes the consequences are already being felt within Britain's Jewish community. He said more families are considering relocating to Israel, with younger generations increasingly questioning whether they have a future in the UK.
"The older generation finds it difficult to leave the country they were born in, but the younger generation is already thinking differently," he said.
He also criticized Britain's political leadership, arguing that it has failed to confront growing hostility toward Israel and Jews.
"They are allowing it to happen," Baruch said. "The demonstrations supporting Hamas and Hezbollah in London will eventually turn against Britain itself."
Drawing a parallel to Israel's own experience with terrorism, Baruch warned that ignoring radicalization carries serious risks.
"Right now it's mainly affecting Jews, which seems to concern them less," he said. "But if they don't stop this process now, they will eventually face the consequences themselves."
Baruch also pointed to his experience organizing an Israeli real estate exhibition in London, where organizers, he said, were pressured not to present projects located beyond the Green Line. According to him, even a presentation mentioning Jerusalem's Givat Hamatos neighborhood sparked political backlash and calls for an inquiry in the British Parliament.
He added that Jewish institutions have become increasingly cautious about hosting Israeli events out of concern for pressure from local authorities.
"Our situation as Israelis and as Jews around the world has certainly not improved in recent years," Baruch concluded.
While stressing that investigators have yet to determine whether the Luton airport incident was deliberate, Baruch argued that it should not be viewed in isolation.
"The hatred toward Israel is seeping into society," he said. "If the authorities don't stop it now, they may discover that the problem has become far greater than they ever imagined."