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Fighting Antisemitism in Britain

(Substack) Maj. (ret.) Andrew Fox - I recently had the honor of speaking to the Jewish community in England's north to express my solidarity and discuss the ongoing conflict. It always comes as a surprise to British Jewish audiences when I make the point that very few people in the UK actually care about the Israel-Gaza conflict. To the majority, this is just another war in the Middle East. While they think it is sad many children have died, and "isn't it awful about the hostages," their priorities are not what a load of Levantines are doing to one another. However, this gives the Jewish community an opportunity to focus on the 90% who do not really care about the Gaza War. The strategy should focus on identity realignment, symbolism, and common cause narratives. Instead of framing protests as being in favor of Jewish or Israeli interests, frame them as a British issue - concern for public safety, rule of law, and national values. We have traditionally been a country that prides itself on tolerance. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) marches are a shocking example of intolerance. The brain processes images far more quickly and easily than it does text or nuanced argument. At protests, Israeli flags may reinforce group status, but Israel is a foreign nation. Waving British flags instead of Israeli flags asserts belonging and aligns British Jews with national identity rather than foreign policy disputes. In the context of fighting British antisemitism, Israeli flags are unhelpful. British flags move the protest from being a Middle Eastern problem to a British one. Instead of framing counterprotests as "against pro-Palestinian marches," frame them as against extremism and antisemitism, which threaten British society as a whole. Of course, there is a place for Jewish distinctiveness, but in this specific context we are trying to create an in-group mentality with the uncommitted. Instead of saying, "Support British Jews," the narrative should shift to "Support British Communities Against Hate." We should emphasize "our streets," "our safety," and "our shared future" rather than "Jewish safety." Remember, the British Jewish community is so small that unless one lives in London or certain northern cities, many British people are unlikely to have ever met a Jewish person in real life. This is about creating a connection where it does not exist. The writer, who served in the British Army in 2005-21, is a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society and a lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
2025-03-27 00:00:00
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