Campaign launched to help UK learn from Israel how to tackle terror
Israel Britain Alliance's 'United Against Terror' initiative seeks to strengthen relations between the two countries
Jack Mendel is the former Online Editor at the Jewish News.
A new campaign has been launched to help Britain learn how to tackle terrorism, drawing on Israel’s experience in the field.
United Against Terror has been launched by the Israel Britain Alliance (IBA), comparing tactics of terrorists in recent attacks in Manchester in London, to those Palestinian attackers.
Seeking to strengthen UK-Israel relations, the campaign has been launched after a successful ‘Pledge for Israel’ drive, which saw General Election candidates commit to relations with the Jewish state.
Michael McCann, IBA Director, said: “In recent months our country has been hit by a suicide bomb, car rammings and knife attacks. “Barbaric attacks on innocent people. The sadly reality is that Israel has faced these types of attacks for years and as a result it has a great deal of experience in both preventing attacks and dealing with the consequences.
“Our country can learn from Israel’s experience and work together to thwart attacks and minimise the risks to the public.”
“But history sometimes reveals that what many of us would see as obvious actions are not taken and that’s why our campaign is focussed on these issues and directed at MPs and the Home Office.”
Luke Akehurst of grassroots movement ‘We Believe in Israel’ praised the work of Heads Up, a British charity set up by a Glaswegian rabbi and a French Jew, who assisted victims of the Manchester bombing.
Heads Up used psychological techniques from Israel to help those affected, with the duo opening a “pop-up” clinic in Manchester for treatment.
Akehurst said: “They are a selfless groups of individuals who were on the ground literally hours after the events took place yet you’ll struggle to find their efforts widely mentioned.”
“We think that’s wrong and that’s why our supporters will also be asking MPs to write to Heads Up and express their gratitude for their crucial work.”
To join the campaign go to www.israelbritain.org.uk/JN
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