News

A Jewish charity which monitors acts of anti-Semitism in the UK says it recorded 639 incidents of violence, threats and abuse last year.The figure, from the Community Security Trust, is the second highest since it began its work in 1984.The peak of 926 incidents came in 2009, and was attributed to a backlash against Israel's invasion of Gaza. Most of last year's incidents happened near Jewish communities in London, Manchester, Hertfordshire and Leeds.

In its annual report, the charity said anti-Semitism had increased since the 1990s and, although said the total number of incidents for 2010 was almost a third less than the 926 recorded in 2009, that was still worse than 2008.It said it recorded 114 acts of violence, but none of them could be classed as grievous bodily harm or life-threatening.Some 59 of the incidents targeted synagogues and a further 52 were attacks on people coming or going from prayers. Some 28 Jewish children suffered anti-Semitic incidents during their journey to or from school.

In one incident, a rabbi and his two sons were pelted with bottles. He was pushed over and needed eight stitches for a head wound. Most incidents appeared to be random or opportunistic, said the charity, and a quarter referred to the Nazis or the Holocaust. Others related to the Middle East conflict.

In another incident, a builder who learned he was working on a Jewish family's home, told the householder: &qu... >>>