Anti-Semitic incidents in Britain fell slightly during 2008, but this figure was overshadowed by the unprecedented rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the wake of Israel's military action in Gaza. In its annual report, the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism and provides security advice and training for the Jewish community in Britain, recorded 541 incidents during 2008, making it the third worst year for such incidents. However, in the four weeks after the Gaza crisis began on Dec. 27, over 250 anti-Semitic incidents were reported to CST, by far the highest rate since security body began recording incidents in 1984.
The 541 anti-Semitic incidents in 2008 included 88 violent assaults, a 25 percent drop from 2007. There were 74 incidents of damage and desecration to Jewish property; 28 direct anti-Semitic threats; 314 incidents of abusive behavior, which includes hate mail, verbal abuse and anti-Semitic graffiti on non-Jewish property; and 37 cases of mass-mailing of anti-Semitic literature in paper form or by e-mail. In addition a further 347 potential incidents were investigated, but not recorded, since there was no clear proven anti-Semitic link.
CST spokesman Mark Gardner said: "The Jewish community would have welcomed this decline in incident figures for a second year running. Sadly, the subsequent outburst of anti-Semitic rage during the Gaza conflict shows the shocking impact upon British Jews of widespread anti-Israel hysteria."