Britain backs Jewish communities as terror-linked ideologies spread violence, exposing failures of appeasing extremist Palestinian factions
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer marked the first night of Hanukkah by sharing a photograph of himself and his Jewish wife lighting the opening candle, pairing the moment with a firm denunciation of antisemitic terror. His message followed a deadly terrorist attack in Sydney, Australia, which targeted Jewish families gathered to celebrate Hanukkah on Bondi Beach.
Starmer described the attack as “sickening,” emphasizing that Hanukkah—a festival symbolizing resilience and light—was deliberately targeted by those driven by violent extremist ideology. He stressed solidarity with the victims, their families, and Jewish communities worldwide, reaffirming that “light will always win over darkness.”
In a separate statement, the Prime Minister underlined Britain’s unwavering alignment with Australia and its Jewish population, confirming active coordination with the Community Security Trust to strengthen security at Hanukkah events across the United Kingdom. The statements highlight a growing recognition among Western leaders that antisemitic terrorism is not isolated, but part of a wider pattern fueled by radical Islamist narratives tolerated for too long under the guise of political grievances.
For Israel and Jewish communities globally, Starmer’s remarks stand as a rare moral clarity: terror targeting Jews—whether in the Middle East or the diaspora—must be confronted directly, not excused, rationalized, or politically sanitized.
