British Jewish people fear future in Europe: poll

[LONDON] Almost half of British Jewish people fear they have no long-term future in Britain or Europe, according to a survey published on Wednesday.

The poll of 2,230 British Jewish people by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) found that 45 per cent feared Jews may have no future in Britain, and 58 per cent were concerned they have no long-term future in Europe.

The online survey was conducted from December 23 to January 11 - a period that spanned the attacks in Paris that targeted the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a kosher supermarket - leading France to increase security at Jewish schools and synagogues.

"The results of our survey are a shocking wake-up call straight after the atrocities in Paris," said CAA chairman Gideon Falter.

"Britain is at a tipping point. Unless anti-Semitism is met with zero tolerance, it will grow and British Jews will increasingly question their place in their own country." A quarter of those surveyed by the CAA said they had considered leaving Britain in the past two years.

The CAA said 2014 saw the most anti-Semitic incidents recorded by police since records began 30 years ago.

Official figures from London's metropolitan police showed anti-Semitic crimes more than doubled in the capital over the 12 months to November 2014, compared to the same period a year earlier.

Anti-Semitic views are not uncommon among British people, according to a separate study of conducted by pollster YouGov for the CAA.

A quarter of 3,411 adults surveyed by YouGov believed Jewish people chase money more than other British people.

Meanwhile, 17 per cent thought Jews had too much power in the media, and 13 per cent said Jews talked about the Holocaust to get sympathy. Overall, 45 per cent of those surveyed believed at least one anti-Semitic statement.

AFP