The NJA is deeply concerned by the findings of a damning report conducted by William Shawcross into the government’s counter-radicalisation strategy, and which identified significant failures in protecting the Jewish community in the UK.
The report revealed that the “Prevent”program has failed to sufficiently grapple with support in Britain for proscribed terrorist organisations Hamas and Hezbollah, and has allowed antisemitic terrorists to slip through the program.
The NJA echoes the report’s recommendation that “There is no reason why those who support Hamas should be treated any differently to those who support Islamic State, National Action, or other proscribed organisations.”
NJA Advisor Board Member Jonathan Taylor said, “Based on the NJA’s Anti-Radicalisation Committee’s findings amongst young people around the country, a most dangerous development is radicalisation and extremism amongst young Muslims. Having been in close discussions with UK Government officials on these issues, the NJA hopes that more resources will be made available for the Prevent campaign so that it can meaningfully and responsibly act against the the growth of Islamist radicalisation, one of the major sources of antisemitism and anti-Western sentiment, as well a major threat to the UK’s national security.”
The NJA is encouraged by the words of Home Secretary The Rt Hon Suella Braverman KC MP, who noted that the Prevent program should address its failings in order to “better disrupt radicalisers who spread antisemitic views or are supportive of those that harass and violently target the Jewish community.”
The NJA will continue to work with our friends across government and civil society to combat antisemitism in all its forms.
For further inquiries, please contact Heath Sloane – NJA Press and Marketing Manager (heath@nja.org.uk)
