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Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, has urged British Jews to consider leaving the United Kingdom and making aliyah to Israel, warning that the future of Jewish life in the country is at risk under its current political leadership.
His controversial remarks, made in an interview with the Daily Mail on Tuesday, have sparked debate across both the UK and Israel.
Chikli criticized what he described as a growing atmosphere of hostility towards Israel in British politics, particularly under the Labour Party. “Without a dramatic change of course by Britain’s political leadership, I see no future for Jewish life in England,” he said.
He singled out Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, accusing him of enabling antisemitic sentiment for political gain. “There is no doubt Labour’s hostile policy toward Israel, beyond its suicidal political correctness, is also driven by simple electoral arithmetic,” Chikli alleged. “He knows full well that England’s Hamas sympathizers are a significant part of his base.”
The minister’s comments come in the wake of the UK government’s decision earlier this month to impose sanctions on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, citing concerns over human rights violations in the West Bank.
Chikli strongly condemned the move, stating that “imposing sanctions on Israeli elected officials whose views the Labour Party dislikes crosses every red line between friendly nations.”
He also criticized what he called double standards in the UK’s domestic approach to pro-Palestinian activism. “In the very same breath that they announce a ban on Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, they permit dozens of marches where chants of ‘jihad’ and ‘from the river to the sea’ are heard,” Chikli said.
Further intensifying his critique, Chikli claimed British Jews are being targeted simply for expressing dissenting views or supporting Israel. “One must not forget the threats to arrest lone Jews on the grounds that they are ‘provoking’ simply by their presence or by holding critical signs near Hamas-supporter protests,” he added.
The comments have stirred controversy in both London and Jerusalem. Jewish leaders in the UK have responded cautiously, with some warning that such statements may heighten fears within the community or politicize their status.
The Labour Party has not officially responded to Chikli’s remarks, but Starmer has previously stated that he supports a two-state solution and has condemned antisemitism as “a poison” that must be eradicated from British society.
Tensions between the UK and Israel have been simmering for months over the Gaza conflict and the Netanyahu government’s far-right coalition.
Chikli’s remarks now threaten to further strain diplomatic ties and raise questions about the long-term security and well-being of British Jews amid rising antisemitic incidents reported in recent months.
As of now, Israel’s government has not officially endorsed Chikli’s recommendation for UK Jews to emigrate, but his statements reflect growing concern within Jerusalem over the international climate surrounding the ongoing war in Gaza and its broader implications for diaspora communities.