Eighty-six years ago, the skies over Britain witnessed over three months of aerial combat. The Battle of Britain marked one of the most critical turning points of the Second World War, forcing Hitler to abandon his immediate plans for a ground invasion.
Shamefully, during an anti-Israel protest in London on Saturday, the Battle of Britain monument was attacked by pro-Palestinian protesters, who smashed poppy wreaths at the feet of the monument dedicated to those brave men who gave their all defending our freedom against Nazi tyranny. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters, draped in keffiyehs and carrying Palestinian flags, as well as flags of the Islamic Republic of Iran, marched through London. Twenty arrests were made for offences including criminal damage and supporting banned terror groups, and one woman was arrested after she was seen making a Nazi salute
This came just days after anti-Israel protests took place midweek on the third anniversary of the October 7th Hamas invasion and massacre in Israel. How was that demonstration even allowed to take place on the anniversary of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust?
There is indeed a new battle raging – a battle for Britain. Because, whether we like it or not, this does not affect Jews alone; it affects all of us. The protests on 7 October were not only anti-Israel in nature; they were anti-Jewish. Let’s not pretend that the two are distinct. When protesters targeted the headquarters of the Board of Deputies of British Jews on the anniversary of the October 7th terror attacks, they were not targeting Israeli establishments – although that would have been no less unacceptable – they were targeting Jews. Nor was attacking the Battle of Britain monument simply an anti-Israel act; it was an assault on the freedoms and moral courage that Britain stands for – values that we share, not coincidentally, with the State of Israel.
These anti-British, anti-Israel sentiments are not new, but they are being fuelled by the UK Government’s own attitudes towards the Jewish state. Recognising a Palestinian state, introducing an arms embargo and, more recently, introducing boycotts and divestment measures targeting Jewish-owned businesses in Judea and Samaria are adding fuel to a fire that is already out of control.
We warned that recognising a Palestinian state would embolden support for Palestinian terror, and we were right. This week, the Palestinian embassy, which opened following the UK’s recognition of Palestinian statehood, erected a life-size bronze statue on the roof of its building depicting convicted Palestinian terrorist Marwan Barghouti. He is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison for his role in organising terror attacks between 2001 and 2002 in which five civilians were murdered. The statue depicts him with his hands raised above his head in handcuffs.
As Alex Hearn of Labour Against Antisemitism said, “These are no achievements to be commemorated with a statue, He is not a political prisoner. If this is the best symbol Palestine House can muster, then it reflects badly on their movement.”
Protesters on Saturday also called for “revolution” and chanted, “Zionism is a crime, get your hands off Palestine”. Again, these sentiments are no longer restricted to the fringes. For example, the Green Party’s annual conference recently voted to define Zionism as racism. This is absurd. Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have a right to live safely and securely in their ancestral homeland and to exercise self-determination. It is the complete opposite of racism. Rather, it is an affirmation that an indigenous people have a right to their indigenous homeland.
But this typifies how far Britain has fallen. Britain was once one of the key advocates of a Jewish homeland – the legacy of the Balfour Declaration of 1917 cannot be overstated. It paved the way for the Jewish people to achieve their dream of returning home. Thankfully, tens of thousands of Christians, together with our Jewish friends, still believe in the purpose of this declaration – that Zionism is not racism, but something Britain should affirm without wavering.
At Christians United for Israel, we believe there is a blessing for Britain in blessing Israel. And in a climate that is becoming increasingly hostile towards Jews in the UK, there is a warning to Britain and to us all from the Bible: “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:15, NKJV).
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Join us in central London on Sunday 22nd November (6:30pm), where Christians and Jews will stand together in a very special Night to Honour Israel, organised by CUFI. This is an event not to be missed, and an occasion to show the extent of support for Israel and the Jewish people. Book your tickets at www.cufi.org.uk/London2026
