Starmer first stated his intention to proceed at the end of July, following a similar announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron as part of his initiative to advance a two-state solution. The prime minister is expected to make the official announcement after Trump concludes his visit to the UK. Starmer delayed the declaration until after Trump's departure, fearing it would dominate the agenda at Thursday's joint press conference.

The US has strongly opposed the Franco-Saudi initiative. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a press conference in Ecuador last week that European countries intention to recognize a Palestinian state would create problems and force Israel to respond.

In his July address, Starmer laid out several conditions for Israel to prevent a unilateral British move: reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, committing to a two-state solution, refraining from annexing Judea and Samaria, taking significant steps to end the conflict in Gaza, allowing the UN to resume humanitarian aid, and committing to long-term sustainable peace. He said he would make his decision before attending the UN summit and based on ungoing developments.

Since May, Macron has led an effort to push Western recognition of a Palestinian state, aiming to restore momentum to the two-state solution. His July 24 announcement at the UN General Assembly of France's commitment sparked a wave of similar pledges from other nations, including the UK, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Malta and others. Earlier this week, Luxembourg signaled that it too would join the initiative.

On September 21, during the annual UN gathering of world leaders in New York, France will host a major diplomatic summit with wide international participation to promote a two-state solution. The summit will be based on the principles of the New York Declaration, signed in August by a broad coalition of countries, including Arab states, calling for an end to the war in Gaza, the advancement of a two-state framework and the disarmament of the Hamas terrorist organization.

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The confrontation intensified Monday following reports that Britain would impose formal sanctions on Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir over their Gaza-related statements, as reported by The London Times. The move represents an unprecedented step in Israel-Britain diplomatic relations, marking the first instance of the UK targeting senior Israeli government officials with such measures.

Under the planned sanctions, Britain would align with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway in freezing assets belonging to Ben Gvir and Smotrich while implementing travel restrictions against both ministers for what officials describe as "inciting violence against Palestinians." The sanctions mirror those typically imposed on Russian officials connected to the Ukraine conflict, prohibiting entry to Britain and barring British financial institutions from conducting business with the targeted individuals.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy had previously indicated his government's willingness to pursue sanctions against the ministers, characterizing their statements as "monstrous." According to the report, Ben Gvir was quoted advocating for encouraging "voluntary emigration of Gaza residents" while asserting that "there is no need to bring aid into Gaza, they have enough."

Speaking to the British Parliament, Lammy declared that "we have entered a dark phase in this conflict," accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of planning to "expel Gazans from their homes and allow them only a small portion of the aid they need." He specifically referenced Smotrich's remarks about Israeli forces that would "cleanse" Gaza, destroy remaining infrastructure, and relocate Palestinians to other countries.

Responding to the sanctions threat during an event in Hebron, Smotrich directly challenged Britain's motivations. "They decided to impose sanctions on me because I am preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state," he declared. "The natural response will also be practical, but the verbal response is contempt for the White Paper. Britain already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and will not be allowed to do it again. We are determined to continue building."

Sources within Smotrich's circle confirmed to Israel Hayom that the minister possesses the necessary authority to execute his threatened economic measures. These would encompass immediately terminating tax revenue transfers that Israel collects for the Palestinian Authority and dismantling legal-economic frameworks that currently protect Israeli banks maintaining relationships with Palestinian financial institutions.

The threatened actions could severely impact Palestinian economic stability, as Israel serves as the primary collector of customs and tax revenues on behalf of the Palestinian Authority under existing agreements.

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According to Western and regional sources, the conditions are designed to prepare for a conference planned by France and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations headquarters in New York on June 17. The conference is expected to announce a pathway toward recognizing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, contingent on specific demands for the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.

The Palestinian Authority has been informed by officials from these countries that the process requires political, economic, and administrative reforms, including holding free and fair elections, resuming the Palestinian parliament's activities, and ensuring a peaceful transfer of power.

Hamas faces a demand for the total disarmament of Gaza and the transfer of its governance to an independent Palestinian entity, eventually to an elected Palestinian government. Additionally, Hamas must transform into a solely political party if it wishes to participate in elections.

The Western official clarified that these are not merely "conditions" but popular demands from Palestinian, regional, and international stakeholders. "It is not possible to recognize a Palestinian state without a political system that meets the people's demands for reform, elections, and accountability. It is not possible to stop the war in Gaza without disarmament," the official said. The Israeli side has informed all mediators and parties involved that it will not permit weapons in Gaza or the West Bank and will act against any terrorist cell, the official added.

Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Palestinian Authority and Hamas officials described the process as "impossible." Palestinian Authority figures warned that the path's implications would be severe, while Hamas officials stated, "The issue of weapons will always be tied to ending the occupation." A senior Hamas official added, "Even if we agree to disarm, Israel will not stop using it as a justification for continuing the siege and attacks. Every day they will say – there's a missile in a tunnel in this area, or shells in that area. They use this issue only to continue strikes and assassinations."

Macron signaled on Thursday that France may soon adopt a firmer diplomatic approach toward Israel, once again baselessly accusing Israel of creating a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reiterating a warning issued by France, Canada and the UK of possible sanctions.

Macron said discussions were "ongoing", and that the countries "will decide in the next couple of days if we need to harden our tone and take concrete steps regarding Israel." France is expected to host a conference on Gaza this month, without Israel's participation, which is expected to culminate with a push for Palestinian statehood.

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee mocked Macron for this effort and said the president could "carve out a Palestinian state from the French Riviera."

Israel's Foreign Ministry has rejected the claims of hunger and food shortages in Gaza, with a new scheme successfully launched several days ago to distribute goods through a US company and without going through Hamas. Israel calls the accusations "a blatant lie."

Several weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blistering condemnation of Macron, accusing him of siding with Hamas following his sharp criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. reported the extraordinary diplomatic clash that has further strained relations between the two nations.

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Borrowing from the Israeli discourse after Oct. 7, Jewish-British journalist Melanie Phillips (73) is one of the UK's earliest and most famous "disillusioned" figures: from being a senior left-wing journalist and a "Jew by accident," to becoming a fighter for neo-conservative values in the West and an outspoken pro-Israel voice.

Lebanon, now in the spotlight of both the conflict and media attention, played a crucial role in Phillips' process of leaving the British left. "The first time I was exposed to the hypocrisy towards Israel in the world press was in 1982, when the First Lebanon War began," she recalled. "I hadn't visited Israel before, had no such plans, and didn't know much about the Israeli-Arab conflict. To my shock, the coverage in the British press portrayed Israel as a Nazi state. I'll never forget how Ariel Sharon, then defense minister, was described as a Nazi general and mass murderer. Out of nowhere, and for the first time since the Holocaust, displays of antisemitism towards Jews in Britain began to emerge, claiming that we, British Jews, support a state that is committing 'genocide' against Palestinians in Lebanon.

"At that time, I was a senior writer at The Guardian. I asked my colleagues – educated and wonderful people on a personal level who advocate moral principles – how it was that a shocking tragedy in the Middle East, where the army of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad murdered between 25,000 and 40,000 people in the city of Hama in Syria, received a side headline in our newspaper, while Israeli attacks against Palestinians in Lebanon received front-page headlines and extensive coverage. 'We have a double standard towards Israel,' I told them."

The answer she heard changed her life: "Of course we have a double standard," her colleagues explained. "Israel is a Western country, so we judge you by our morals, while from the Arab world, which wasn't educated on human rights values, we don't have similar expectations. If we made such a comparison, it would be racism on our part." Phillips replied: "What are you talking about? If someone claims that Arabs can't be expected to be as moral as the West, in my eyes, that's racism."

This conversation was a turning point for her: "The left revealed itself as fundamentally racist. This realization stunned me. They weren't the moral knights I thought they were. Although it took me time to part ways with The Guardian and the left, in retrospect, this was the moment when my previous world began to crumble." Beyond the ideological debate, Phillips realized that in her colleagues' eyes, she was a Jew representing Israel, and accordingly, they addressed her with expressions like "you" and "you all."

The series of attacks on the London Underground on July 7, 2005, sent shockwaves through the UK. Four Al-Qaeda terrorists with British citizenship detonated bombs in three train stations, killing about 52 people and injuring about 700. This tragedy catalyzed the publication of Phillips' most famous book in 2006: "Londonistan: How Britain Created a Terror State Within." Despite being published by a small, unknown publishing house, the book quickly became a bestseller in Britain and the US. "The major publishing houses in Britain boycotted me and refused to publish my books," Phillips explained. "'Londonistan' sparked a wide public debate on the integration of Muslim immigrants in Britain and the West's failure to address the internal Muslim threat, not only in terms of terrorism but also on the cultural front."

Q: 18 years after the publication of "Londonistan," how do you view the current attitude of the British elites towards Muslim immigration?

"The situation hasn't improved but worsened, in the sense that they're still in complete denial of the religious component of the attempts to Islamize the West, which is essentially jihad. On the other hand, in the general public, people understand that this is a terrible problem that only gets worse year by year. One can't ignore the fact that in France, there's a phenomenon of churches being deliberately and symbolically burned by Muslims, and that entire communities essentially function as enclaves operating under Sharia law."

"I still hold the same values"

"When asked about my transition from left to right," Phillips said, "I emphasize that I still hold the same values that have always guided me: giving voice to the weak against the centers of power, presenting the truth against lies, and going where the evidence leads me. I'm simply a Jew who believes in tikkun olam [a concept in Judaism about healing the world] and a journalist who believes in telling the truth. In many ways, I haven't changed; I just realized over time that the environment that surrounded me, those I thought were with me 'on the same front,' were never really there."

An example of Phillips' approach in British media can be seen from her appearance in March on the BBC's long-running program, "Question Time." Phillips argued that Israel is not systematically starving Gaza residents as a means of warfare. The audience reacted with astonishment, some even with overt laughter. Panel members and the program's host also expressed opposition to her statements.

Q: At times it seemed like everyone there was against you.

"When you see how a story like the Palestinian narrative, which is entirely based on lies, receives such support in the West, you understand the power of the intellectual and moral degeneration that has struck its elites, in Britain and in general. 'Palestinianism,' the Palestinian ideology aimed at fighting Israel, plays a much more central role today compared to other destructive ideologies: it's a moral cancer at the heart of Western civilization. It has distorted collective logic by paralyzing our ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and has emasculated the West from defending its way of life."

The full interview will be published in Makor Rishon in the coming days.

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The Metropolitan Police have voiced their exasperation with ongoing violence after four people were stabbed during this year's event, reports The Telegraph.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who oversaw the policing operation, expressed his frustration, stating, "We are tired of seeing crime scenes at Carnival." He emphasized that Sunday was supposed to be a "family day" suitable for all ages, but instead was marred by "unacceptable violence." This annual celebration of Caribbean heritage, arts, and culture has been running for over 50 years.

The incident involving the mother was particularly distressing. "One of those in hospital, a 32-year-old woman whose condition remains critical, was at Carnival with her young child," Adelekan noted.

Notting Hill Carnival 2024 Crime Statistics (Over 3 Days):

- Arrests: 334
- Violent Incidents:
- Stabbings: 5
- Acid attack: 1
- Rapes: 8
- Robberies: 8
- Violent attacks: 56

- Assaults on Services:
- Police officers assaulted: 35
- Emergency service personnel… pic.twitter.com/Xo8mfjKpZj

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 27, 2024

In addition to the stabbings, there were two incidents of slash wounds and one involving a corrosive substance. By Monday night, 230 arrests had been made for various offenses, including sexual crimes, assaults on emergency workers, theft, and drug-related charges.

The police implemented a Section 60 order from Sunday evening until early Monday morning, granting officers additional powers to stop and search individuals in the area. This measure also allowed them to demand the removal of face coverings used to conceal identities.

You are JOKING. A month ago Tommy Robinsons demonstration in London (which saw zero arrests) was branded a "far right" gathering, but Notting Hill Carnival - which has had 90 arrests, 3 stabbings, 6 sexual assaults, etc is branded a 'fantastic celebration'?#TwoTierKhan pic.twitter.com/VyaNyond3i

— James Harvey (@JamesHarvey2503) August 26, 2024

Despite the incidents, the carnival, billed as "the greatest community-led event on the planet" by organizers, saw around a million attendees over the Bank Holiday weekend. Approximately 7,000 officers were deployed to oversee the celebrations.

Adelekan appealed to the public for assistance, stating, "It is the responsibility of all who value this event, who want to see it as the celebration it should be, to speak out and speak up about the violence that continues to overshadow it."

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The UK government has announced plans for a "large surge" in deportation flights for failed asylum seekers and others without legal right to remain in the country, according to reporting by the BBC. The plans, unveiled by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, include hiring 100 additional intelligence officers to target people-smuggling gangs and reopening immigration removal centers in Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

Cooper stated her intention to introduce a "better-controlled" system to replace "the chaos that has blighted the system for far too long." The move is part of Labour's efforts to tackle illegal immigration and small boat crossings in the English Channel.

Home Office Minister Seema Malhotra reported that nine "return" flights have taken off in the six weeks since Labour won the election, including one carrying over 200 people. The government aims to achieve "the highest rate of removals of those with no right to be here" since Theresa May's premiership in 2018 over the next six months.

Dr. Peter Walsh, a senior researcher at the Migration Observatory, told BBC Radio 4's Today program that reaching 2018 levels would require 3,000 more removals this year than last. He described this as "an achievable goal, but it's a pretty low bar," noting that 2018 saw the lowest number of enforced removals in 20 years, excluding the pandemic period.

The Conservative opposition criticized Labour's approach, with shadow home secretary James Cleverly stating the plan was "not ambitious enough." He accused the government of giving "an effective amnesty to thousands of illegal migrants" and failing to appoint a head for their "phantom border command."

Is that all you can do to stop the boats? Yvette Cooper's plan to tackle illegal migration is branded 'a farce' amid confusion over new target to deport failed asylum seekers https://t.co/Kr87WiplBV pic.twitter.com/DY1Webx5tl

— Mail+ (@DailyMailUK) August 20, 2024

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council charity, urged the government to support voluntary returns rather than expanding detention programs. He told the BBC, "Instead of wasting taxpayers' money on expanding detention places the government should be investing in what are called voluntary returns programs."

The government's announcement includes the deployment of 100 new specialist intelligence officers and investigators to the National Crime Agency (NCA) to disrupt criminal smuggling gangs and prevent dangerous boat crossings. The NCA currently has around 70 active investigations into people smuggling and trafficking groups.

Other measures include redeploying staff to work on returning failed asylum seekers, increasing sanctions against employers who hire workers illegally, and reopening the Campsfield and Haslar detention centers in Oxfordshire and Hampshire, adding 290 beds to the system.

More than 19,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, representing a 10% increase from last year but a decrease from the peak of over 21,000 in the same period in 2022.

Anyone involved in criminal disorder or violent thuggery on UK streets will have to pay the price pic.twitter.com/ma44tg7ymO

— Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) August 7, 2024

 The Labour government has scrapped the previous Conservative administration's Rwanda scheme, which aimed to deter Channel crossings by deporting some migrants to the East African country. Instead, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to focus on combating criminal gangs arranging the crossings and expediting the process of returning those with no legal right to remain in the UK.

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London's Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has warned individuals, including American citizens, who may be contributing to the ongoing unrest in the United Kingdom through their online activities.

In an interview with Sky News, Rowley stated, "We will throw the full force of the law at people. And whether you're in this country committing crimes on the streets or committing crimes from further afield online, we will come after you. Being a keyboard warrior does not make you safe from the law." He elaborated on potential offenses, including "incitement, stirring up racial hatred, [and] numerous terrorist offenses regarding the publishing of material."

Freedom of speech is the bedrock of democracy. If the truth is suppressed, it is impossible to make an informed voting decision.

The degree to which freedom of speech is being undermined around the world is extremely alarming.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 10, 2024

Elon Musk has been vocal in his criticism of the UK government's response to the riots. Musk suggested that the UK is headed toward "civil war" and questioned whether Britain was becoming like "the Soviet Union" in response to reports of arrests for offensive online comments.

He wrote on X, "Freedom of speech is the bedrock of democracy. If the truth is suppressed, it is impossible to make an informed voting decision. The degree to which freedom of speech is being undermined around the world is extremely alarming."

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded to Musk's comments, stating there was "no justification" for them. The spokesperson added that social media companies "have a responsibility" to combat misinformation and limit the spread of criminal activity on their platforms.

Just Elon Musk quote tweeting the co-leader of far-right party, Britain First, who is sharing a fake Telegraph headline

Seen by almost 1 million people in 15 minutes

Utterly dystopian pic.twitter.com/4W5ZOssbEY

— Josh Self (@Josh_Self_) August 8, 2024

Musk previously shared a fake headline – pretending to be from the Telegraph – that said Starmer is "considering building 'emergency detainment camps' on the Falkland Islands." 30 minutes later, Musk deleted the post.

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Violent protests and riots have erupted across multiple cities in Britain, partly fueled by online misinformation and false claims about a Southport stabbing suspect's identity, leading to anti-immigrant demonstrations and disorder.

Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X, has taken a combative stance, declaring that civil war is inevitable in the UK and criticizing the British government's response, while suggesting that police are cracking down harder on white people than minorities.

The British government, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, criticized Musk's remarks as unjustifiable and called for calm, warning social media companies about allowing violent disorder to spread online and holding them responsible.

The right-wing English Defense League, labeled by the British government as a nativist and racist group, claims to resist Islamic extremists and protect the country's identity, while their opponents accuse them of Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiments.

The unrest was triggered by misinformation and false rumors alleging an attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop for children was carried out by a Muslim. Anti-immigrant and Islamophobic crowds attacked hotels and mosques.

Sources: Washington Post, WSJ, Washington Times, MarketWatch, National Post, The Conservative Treehouse.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Aliyah from North America at the beginning of 2024 is slightly lower than it was at the start of 2023 – 602 Olim arrived between January and April this year, compared to 725 last year. However, Avichai Kahana, the Director General of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, is convinced that those who make Aliyah this year will come at much larger numbers than in previous years. "Despite the war, 1,500 to 1,600 people are expected to arrive in just July and August alone," he says. "Based on our knowledge of Aliyah intentions, in 2024, we will break the records of the last ten years, with around 4,000 Jews making Aliyah to Israel from North America."

It turns out that the Swords of Iron War is not deterring Jews from the USA, Canada, and Mexico who are interested in making Aliyah to Israel; in fact, interest has only increased. "After years of a consistent decline in Aliyah files from these countries, since October 7, we have seen a surge in the opening of files in North America. These are numbers we haven't seen in decades," Kahana says. May was a peak month: 580 Aliyah files were opened in North America. This step indicates a practical interest in coming to Israel, living here, and becoming Israelis. "It's not just making a phone call and asking, but filling out forms to start the bureaucracy," he explains.

Not all files ultimately lead to Aliyah, he says, but only "Between 50 to 70 percent." Nevertheless, "We see that the wave is already coming. In France, there is a 500 percent increase in file openings. In South Africa, there is also a significant awakening. In North America, we see month after month that the number of Aliyah files being opened is twice as much as before. It's consistent, and not a peak. And it's crazy because even under war, under rockets, under a semi-existential threat from the north and Iran – amid all this, Olim are coming in numbers that haven't been seen in any other year, and twice as many are seriously interested in making Aliyah to Israel."

Are they coming out of Zionism and love for the country, or because of the difficulty of living in the United States at such a time, with blatant antisemitism in the streets?

"They are coming first and foremost because of love for Israel and solidarity. Most of the Olim are young or young families. On our tours abroad, especially in North America, they tell us: we want to participate in building Israel in the day after. After the Yom Kippur War and the 1982 Lebanon War, there were similar waves of Aliyah from people who felt more connected to Israel than ever. Among the many fallen in the war, there were quite a few lone soldiers, and we have sad but moving stories of parents who decided to make Aliyah to Israel after their son was killed in battle. The family of Andrei Kozlov, the hostage who was freed in a military operation a few weeks ago, is also now makeing Aliyah to Israel."

A Picture of Victory

Even before October 7, Kahana says, Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer instructed the ministry staff to focus on encouraging young Olim from western countries. Some Olim come for undergraduate or graduate studies, others are young doctors and psychologists who come with their families, and more. "Today, we provide increased assistance to Olim who choose to live in the north, the south, Judea and Samaria, or national priority areas. They receive two years of support of two thousand shekels per month for rent," Kahana says. Most Olim prefer cities with established Anglo-Saxon communities; but according to Kahana, new such communities are slowly being created, partly with the ministry's encouragement: "For example, in Kiryat Gat, an amazing Anglo-Saxon community is developing and growing."

The Director General of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration reports that in the past year, a revolution has been taking place in the services the ministry provides to immigrants. "Hundreds of employees accompany them, checking where they are learning Hebrew and how, where the children are being educated, and whether they are finding suitable employment. Those coming from western countries can usually integrate quickly into the Israeli job market. I have a friend who works at Amazon, and when he opened two positions at Amazon in Tel Aviv – within two days, he received five inquiries from Jews in North America who told him they wanted to make Aliyah to Israel and get one of those jobs.

"We are developing many programs around the question of how to integrate them, not just how to get them to make Aliyah. Many of them have opportunities all over the world. A young person from New York who was sure they wanted to study at Columbia, but changed their mind because of the situation – could go to Miami, where it's easier, or to Los Angeles. In other words, in the end, we also need to be attractive. Other countries do this too, looking for doctors: England, Germany, Hungary, and even Canada."

Regarding the antisemitic propaganda in the USA – might it not intensify if Jews are perceived as "potential Israelis"? Presenting them as citizens who are not truly loyal to the USA.

"American Jews tell us that antisemitism doesn't ask that question. An antisemite is an antisemite not because Jews come to Israel. But we act responsibly and professionally, and greatly respect the places Jews come from. Minister Sofer is in close contact with community and federation leaders. I don't think Aliyah increases antisemitism; unfortunately, it grows on its own."

Maybe it weakens the fight against it. If the solution we offer is "leave, come to Israel" – it's kind of giving up.

"In the government and even in the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, efforts are made to strengthen the Jews there. There are sabbaticals, tours, and visits. Yes, October 7 was a great blow to the state and the nation, but Aliyah is a picture of victory, and it is a great opportunity for the State of Israel. These people come and strengthen us, they are a tremendous human resource, and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration sees itself as the human resources department of the state as well."

What message would you like to convey to the Israeli public?

"The public must be partners in the great challenge of absorbing Olim. We are all immigrants or children of immigrants. In the Aliyah wave of the 1990's, the public in Israel was committed to the integration efforts. Soon, we will launch a campaign that will once again call on Israelis to welcome Olim. This is always true, and certainly during wartime. The Olim are building Israel, and we must do everything to integrate them – in the neighborhood, in employment, in communities, and in schools. This is an important statement to the Israeli public internally, but it also calls on our brothers abroad – come."

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We have reached a point where politics has become more polarized than ever before. It is wild to see how political debates turned from decent and respectful discussions to a wild circus show in such a short time.

Europe is no different.

What happened in France in the last couple of days was upsetting and only proves how life for Jewish people in the diaspora can change overnight. In Sunday's second round of voting, the far-left New Popular Front coalition, which includes the Socialist Party and the France Unbowed far-left party (LFI), regarded as widely regarded as antisemitic, secured an estimated 178 seats in a deeply divided National Assembly. The centrist parties built alliances with the far-left bloc to derail the right-wing bloc, a coalition led by Jean-Luc Melenchon. To French Jews, this means the centrist has essentially signed a deal with the devil.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of LFI, is a notorious antisemite who, in the past, called French Jews "an arrogant minority that lectures to the rest" and is known for his anti-Israel stance. While antisemitism in France saw a 300% increase since 2023, Mélenchon has dismissed it and called it "residual." He has now promised to recognize a Palestinian state and 92% of French Jews say his party has contributed to the rise of antisemitism.

In the wake of the October 7 massacre, where Hamas murdered 1200 people and abducted 251 hostages, several far-left politicians refused to condemn Hamas's actions. Indeed, Rabbi Moshe Sebbag, from the Grand Synagogue of Paris, said that "France has no future for Jews'' and has advised that the younger French Jewish population leave for Israel.

While the elections might not directly impact Macron's presidency, they could complicate the process of passing legislation, especially legislation meant to protect the French Jewish community. Macron will have to sit and negotiate with Melenchon, who is known to be cut-throat and, power-hungry, fierce communist- almost like Antifa level. Whatever one makes of the situation, it will have a severe impact on the Jewish community.

While the riots that unfolded are not anything new in France, their violent nature and the waving of Palestinian flags in their celebrations should worry many.

The UK also saw a major political transformation. Last week, Britain's center-left Labour Party celebrated an overwhelming victory, for the first time in 14 years. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer was influential in ridding the party of its antisemitism. Labour blocked its previous leader, Jeremy Corbyn, from running with the party and adopted the recommendations of a government commission that investigated antisemitism within the party. These steps restored the faith of many Jewish voters. Yet, there is still lingering fear that the Labour Party is still filled with predominantly anti-Israel constituents that they will cave into when the time comes to make the hard decision to defend Israel. Starmer's newly appointed foreign secretary, David Lammy, supported the International Criminal Court. The court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, recently announced plans to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Lammy said, "Labour would comply with an ICC arrest order for Netanyahu."

Far-left politician and former leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, won back his parliamentary seat. After beating out the Labour Party candidate he used to lead for the seat, he has vowed to make life difficult for Starmer in Parliament. Corbyn is a well-known antisemite who has called Hamas his "friends." His handling of antisemitism complaints within the Labour Party during his leadership was widely criticized, with many accusing him of failing to take decisive action against perpetrators. Any reality where he sits in office and pushes his far-left and antisemitic policies will surely affect the Jewish community.

Many argue that the rise and emboldening of the ultra-left is a direct result of the increase in extreme right and fascism that we have seen globally in recent years. For whatever reason, the rise of extremism in politics has become mainstream, and whichever way it falls, it is concerning news for the Jews. These examples only reiterate why the state of Israel needs to exist because even in democracies like France and the UK, there are still politicians who are actively pushing an antisemitic agenda. Throughout history, we have seen that there is a need for a safe haven for Jews worldwide when they are no longer welcome in their host countries.

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