UK Home Secretary Declares ‘Unflinching and Unequivocal’ Support for Israel, Slams ‘Racist” BDS

The UK and Israel are “united in speaking out and standing up against racism and antisemitism,” Patel said.

By United with Israel Staff

Addressing a Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) reception on Monday, British Home Secretary Priti Patel declared her “unflinching and unequivocal” support for Israel, The Jewish Chronicle (The JC) reported.

The senior official also slammed the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, calling it “racist.”

Antisemitism has “infiltrated our politics, our political dialogue and discourse,” Patel stated. “It is utterly appalling that antisemitism has been on the increase.”

The audience included about 140 CFI supporters, including 50 parliamentarians, The JC reported.

The UK and Israel have an “unwavering belief in freedom, democracy and security” are “united in speaking out and standing up against racism and antisemitism,” Patel said, according to the report.

In December, the British House of Commons passed a motion that proscribed the Hamas organization in its entirety as “terrorist” under the country’s 2000 Terrorism Act. Until then, only the group’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, was included in the UK’s terror list.

In her address, Patel said she was “quite unapologetic” about the proscription of the Hamas terror group, adding that it was “not just the right thing to do, [it was] a moral imperative,” the report said.

Patel expressed her “sympathies and condolences” to the families hit by the recent wave of terror in Israel that claimed 19 lives.

The UK “will continue to send out the strongest messages around zero tolerance towards terrorist activities, but also towards the type of activities that are aimed and targeted at hurting the State of Israel, Jewish communities and the people of Israel,” such as BDS, she declared.

Patel also praised Israel’s Ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely, who was in the audience.