In Rosh Hashanah message, British PM vows to uproot anti-Semitism

British Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to protect the UK’s Jewish communities from anti-Semitism, in a Rosh Hashanah video message released hours ahead of the Jewish New Year on Sunday.

“As the Jewish New Year begins, I want to renew my unshakable vow to stand by our Jewish community now and for the years to come,” May said. “And as prime minister, and working in partnership with you, I will do everything in my power to protect your community, and indeed all communities in Britain.”

“I want to ensure that Britain is a place where all our communities can flourish, and that means stamping out sickening and shameful hatred, including anti-Semitism the like of which I never thought we would see again,” the prime minister said.

Last month, May addressed Britain’s Jewish communities for the first time since her July election, praising the relationship between the UK and Israel and reaffirmed the British government’s long-held position of support for Israel’s right to self-defense.

Writing in the latest edition of the magazine for the Conservative Friends of Israel, a pro-Israel group in her ruling Conservative party, May said that the UK’s relationship with Israel was “as strong as ever.”

May highlighted the fact that the UK and Israel will soon mark the 100-year anniversary of affirmation by then Conservative foreign secretary Arthur James Balfour of the “UK’s support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people” — in a document now known as the Balfour Declaration.