Anti-Semitism spike due to increased reporting, says MP

The man responsible for evaluating the fight against anti-Semitism in Britain says a recent jump in anti-Jewish incidents there is a result of increased reporting and not cause for alarm.

British Labour MP John Mann, who chairs the United Kingdom's All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism (PCAA), made the statements while visiting Israel this week, where he spoke before 180 members of the Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth Association at their Annual Balfour Dinner in Tel Aviv.

In July, the Community Security Trust, which monitors anti-Semitism and provides security for the Jewish community in Britain, said that it had recorded 609 anti-Semitic incidents across the U.K. from January to June, 2009 - a record figure that was more than double the 276 for the corresponding period last year.

CST and Britain's Zionist Federation linked the hike to Israel's Gaza offensive in January.

But Mann disputes there has even been a rise. He says victims of anti-Semitic harassment are just more likely to file a report now - a "direct consequence" of the work of his committee.

"We are not seeing more physical assaults, we are seeing more reporting of abuse and harassment, previously seen as below the threshold for reporting," he said in an interview with Anglo File at the home of the British ambassador to Israel, Tom Philips.

But the CST report says that in the first half of 2009, Britain saw 77 racially-motivated assaults on Jews, compared to 44 in first half of 2008. CST director of communications, Mark Gardner, told Haaretz "there is no doubt" attacks in the United Kingdom are up.

"We hope that reporting rates have improved in recent years, but sadly there is no doubt that the number of hate crimes has also risen substantially," Gardner said.

Other European countries have seen an increase in the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents since January.

In 2006, the PCAA issued a comprehensive report on anti-Semitism in Britain, which included recommendations for stricter police intervention, more prosecution, greater interfaith dialogue and more education against anti-Semitism.

"The report is very comprehensive and uses fine language, but most of the recommendations have not been implemented," said Jonathan Hoffman, co-vice chairman of Britain's Zionist Federation.

Mann says progress has been made, naming as one example the recent conviction of two British nationals who uploaded anti-Semitic propaganda to a non-British Web site.