The antisemitic arson attack on Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green in the early hours of Monday morning was utterly sickening and deeply alarming. To deliberately target and set fire to ambulances, emergency vehicles which exist solely to save lives, all lives, purely because they are manned by Jewish volunteers, shows there are not depths to which antisemites will not sink.
Those responsible must be found and prosecuted with the full force of the law with no delay. For far too long, those who wish to do harm to Jewish communities have been emboldened. This attack is part of a tidal wave of extremism and hatred, as Jewish communities have been being repeatedly targeted, here in the UK and across Europe in recent years.
It has been almost six months since a deadly attack on a synagogue in this country, and we know that a number of attacks have been foiled thanks to the work of the security services. Only last week, it was revealed that several synagogues, a Jewish community centre and a Jewish primary school were on a list of potential targets found on the devices of Iranian-British nationals arrested on suspicion of spying on Iran.
The similarity of this morning's attack to recent antisemitic arson attacks against Jewish communities in Belgium and the Netherlands, and the possibility this attack could linked to Iran is particularly concerning.
This is an incredibly worrying time for the Jewish community. Our fears and anxiety have escalated once more, as each and every incident chips away at a sense of safety that should be guaranteed to every citizen of this country. The question must now be asked: how much more intimidation, how much more damage, how much more risk to life, before meaningful action is taken?
Enough with the walls, the fences, the cameras and the security guards. Enough with the platitudes, the solidarity and the handwringing. These measures may be necessary, but they are not enough. They do not address the root problem, and they do not deter those who feel increasingly emboldened to act on their hatred.
My heart goes out to the ever-compassionate Hatzola volunteers who serve their community and the wider public with extraordinary dedication. Hatzola is a non-profit, volunteer organisation established in 1979 to provide emergency medical response at no cost to anyone in need - Jews and non-Jews alike. Its volunteers respond to thousands of emergencies every year, from minor injuries to life-threatening conditions, often arriving within minutes.
They work hand in hand with the London Ambulance Service, the London Fire Brigade, the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service and the Metropolitan Police to deliver professional, life-saving care. Their mission is simple: to preserve life.
While I am relieved that no one was harmed, the destruction of four ambulances is not a victimless act. It has the potential to delay responses, to stretch already limited resources, and ultimately to cost lives. It is truly inconceivable that that someone's hatred of Jews could drive them to target this extraordinary organisation.
This must be a wakeup call for our nation. Because this was not just an attack on Jews but an attack on Britain and its values. This is a crisis and must be treated as such. There can be no more business as usual. The government, law enforcement, and society as a whole must act to show that extremism and hatred will not be tolerated in our country.
And to those countless decent people who know this is wrong: now is the moment to speak loudly and unmistakably. Silence is not neutrality; it is a capitulation to those who would burn not just ambulances, but the very values that bind us together.
