Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, has drawn sharp criticism for suggesting that Jewish life in England is under existential threat without major political change.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Chikli warned that “there is no future for Jewish life in England” unless Britain’s leadership alters its course. He accused Labour leader Keir Starmer of knowingly relying on “Hamas sympathisers” within his political base and criticised the UK government for what he described as contradictory policies—banning the activist group Palestine Action while allowing protests where chants like “jihad” and “from the river to the sea” are heard.
Chikli also cited concerns over reports of Jewish individuals being threatened with arrest at pro-Palestinian demonstrations simply for attending or holding critical signs.
“My recommendation to Jews in the UK is to consider leaving and making aliyah to Israel,” he said.
Claudia Mendoza, CEO of the Jewish Leadership Council, condemned Chikli’s remarks, calling them “deeply irresponsible.”
“British Jews are aware of the challenges we face, including rising antisemitism,” she said, “but to suggest there is no future for our community is wrong. We are committed to a vibrant Jewish life here in the UK and won’t cede ground to extremists.”
Chikli also criticized the UK government for imposing sanctions on Israeli far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, saying it violated the norms between allies. He did not address questions about the deportation of two UK Labour MPs by Israel in April.
This isn’t Chikli’s first controversial intervention. Earlier this year, he called Starmer a “pathetic doormat” for failing to name Hamas in a statement about the release of an Israeli hostage. Last year, he accused the Biden administration of stoking Israeli protests by coordinating with opposition leaders.
In March, Chikli faced further backlash when several Jewish leaders from around the world withdrew from a conference he organized after learning that far-right European parties, such as France’s National Rally and Spain’s Vox, had been invited. Photo by Mr Kaprizulkin, Wikimedia commons.