Anti-Semitic incidents rise to record

Two men speak at a special candle lighting ceremony during a celebration of Hanukkah, at Trafalgar Square in London December 16, 2009.

LONDON (Reuters) - A record number of anti-Semitic incidents took place in Britain last year mainly sparked by Israel's Gaza offensive against Hamas militants, a Jewish advisory body said on Friday.

The Community Security Trust (CST), an organisation which advises Britain's estimated 300,000 Jews on safety issues, said it had been notified of 924 incidents in 2009.

That was the highest number since it began collating figures in 1984, and a 55 percent increase on the previous record figure registered in 2006.

"These record figures show that anti-Semitism is an increasingly significant problem for British Jews," said CST spokesman Mark Gardner.

"The trend must be reversed and we call upon decent people to speak out against anti-Semitism in all its forms."

The CST said the rise was largely due to "unprecedented levels of anti-Semitism" during and after Israel's offensive against Hamas militants in December 2008. Almost a quarter of the incidents included some reference to the conflict.

Of the 924 incidents, 124 were rated as violent, the highest annual number the CST has recorded. Three of these involved a threat to life or grievous bodily harm, including an attempt to set fire to a rabbi's house.

Victims of abuse and assaults included Jewish academics, students, schoolchildren and teachers. Most incidents took place in London and Manchester, home to the two biggest Jewish communities in Britain.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the increase was deeply troubling, while the Conservative Party said Britain's Jews faced a "real and growing danger."

"Anti-Semitism is one of the most ancient of hatreds -- and yet it constantly adapts to modern times, requiring ever greater vigilance from all of us who are determined to stand up for tolerance and for the truth," Brown said.

"No strength of feeling can ever justify violent extremism or attacks and we will stand firm against all those who would use anti-Israeli feeling as an excuse or disguise for anti-Semitism and attacks on the Jewish community."

In recent months, politicians have voiced concern about a rise in support for far-right parties while police have also warned about a danger posed by right-wing extremists.

"The open hate of Israel fanned by jihadi Islamist ideologues is creating an unacceptable climate of fear for Jews," said Denis MacShane, a lawmaker who led a 2006 parliamentary inquiry into anti-Semitism.

"Politicians need to take the lead and say loudly and clearly that British Jews should not have to face intimidation and threats."

(Editing by Steve Addison)