Jews being made scapegoats for wider grievances, warns Israel’s UK envoy
Christian Cantor spoke at Oct 7 commemoration organised by the Israeli Embassy in London
Israel’s leading diplomat in the UK, Christian Cantor, addressed an October 7 commemoration organised by the Embassy in London, warning: “In a disturbing echo of history, Jews are being made scapegoats for wider grievances and deeper problems, here in Britain and across the world.”
Speaking at a moving event held at South Hampstead Synagogue to mark three years since the Hamas attacks, Cantor added: “Since October 7, the Iranian regime and its proxies have continued to destabilise the region, sending shockwaves not only throughout the Middle East, but here in the UK as well.”
“As the world’s only Jewish state, Israel continues to face threats to our very existence from Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. The legitimacy of Israel is questioned by many, including here in Britain.
“We have been attacked on multiple fronts and face endless challenges in protecting our people,” he said.
He continued: “Life hasn’t been easy for Britain’s Jews. Just as the lives of all Israelis changed on October 7, so did theirs.”
Cantor also acknowledged, “Israelis still live with the agony of that day—a pain that will never leave us and will be felt by generations to come.”
“We remember those still carrying the pain of that day: the hostages, the survivors, and those whose loved ones did not return. For many Israelis still living in torment, life continues.”
Among those attending the commemoration were Middle East minister Stephen Doughty, former Conservative Attorney General Sir Michael Ellis, and Progressive Judaism co-leads Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky.
The centrepiece of the event was a talk, accompanied by powerful visual projections from renowned Israeli photographer Ziv Koren, who extensively documented the October 7 terrorist attacks across the western Negev, capturing battlefield actions, wounded soldiers, and released hostages.
At one stage, Koren showed the audience shocking video footage from the moment he arrived on the scene on October 7. In one harrowing sequence, he was forced to lie on the floor as IDF soldiers exchanged fire with Hamas militants still in the area.
But Koren’s photographs also offered hope, showing how some Israelis affected by the terror attack have managed to rebuild their lives.