03 October 2025
StandWithUs UK is deeply horrified by the murder that took place in Manchester on Yom Kippur.
In the past week, two terror attacks were carried out in an identical pattern. In both, an Islamist rammed Jews with a car and went on a stabbing spree – one attack happened in Gush Etzion in Judea and Samaria and the other in Manchester.
Jews are under attack not because of where they are, but simply because of who they are.
Suggesting explanations or justifications for such violence anywhere, whether political, social, or ideological, is a moral failure. At best, it reflects self-delusion. At worst, it spreads ignorance and fuels hatred.
For centuries, Jews in Europe were told to leave. Now that they’ve returned to their ancestral home, they’re told to leave that as well. The thread that ties it all together is not criticism of policy but rejection of Jewish existence. Anti-Zionism is simply antisemitism repackaged – recognising this truth is a necessary first step.
The abuse of freedom of speech on the streets and across university campuses can no longer be allowed to shield those who glorify terror or call for Israel’s destruction. When such rhetoric goes unchallenged, it breeds real violence. The attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur was a tragic reminder of where incitement can lead.
When a father feels he must ask his son to remove his kippah on the way home from synagogue, so that a car won’t ram them, it is not just a moment of fear for Jews – it is a moral bankruptcy for Britain as a free society.
Kind statements from the British government won’t prevent the next act of violence. They won’t erase the fear. The time for words has passed, what’s needed now is action. The Jewish community has every right to demand it, and this government has every responsibility to deliver it.
About StandWithUs UK:
StandWithUs is an international, non-profit and non-partisan Israel education organisation that works to inspire and educate people of all ages about Israel, as well as challenge misinformation and fight against antisemitism. Founded in 2010, StandWithUs UK has become a recognised support system and leading resource for students on UK campuses. We empower and energise students and communities with leadership training and educational programmes on both school and university campuses. StandWithUs informs through social media, printed materials, digital platforms, film and newsletters. The StandWithUs flagship Emerson Fellowship programme seeks to raise students into future leaders, equipped to stand strong in the face of antisemitism and anti-Zionism. We believe in the right of the Jewish People to self-determination in their historic homeland of Israel. We educate the facts in an unbiased and holistic manner, with an open mind, reflecting on views from all sides of the political, social and humanitarian spectrum whilst promoting peace. StandWithUs UK believe the current discourse surrounding Israel on campus all too often crosses the line between legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies and the dangerous, mainstream, antisemitic rhetoric which stands contrary to the IHRA definition of antisemitism. We work to educate on that distinction, encourage civil discourse on legitimate criticism of Israel, and to fight antisemitism wherever it emerges.
