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| - Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday condemned an "intolerable" surge in anti-Semitic violence in Britain linked to the Israeli-Palestinian unrest as he assured Jewish leaders of the government's support. At Downing Street, Johnson met in person with British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and virtually with seven other Jewish leaders including Mark Gardner of the Community Security Trust. The trust, which collates reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain, said there was a six-fold increase to 116 in the 11-day period from May 8. "Whatever the situation is in the Middle East, there is no excuse for the importing of prejudice to the streets of our country," Johnson said in a statement after the meeting. Incidents including one assault on a rabbi in London and a "disgusting parade" of vehicles elsewhere in the capital were "intolerable and I take deep, deep exception", he said. Police have arrested four people after they were shown on video shouting anti-Semitic abuse from a car in north London on Sunday. Two men have been charged in connection with the attack on the rabbi, who was hit over the head with a concrete brick near his synagogue. "There is no place for anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom. We must call it out, and be continuously vigilant and emphatic," Johnson said. The chief rabbi said the spike in violence in Britain was "unprecedented", adding: "The community is determined to stop it in its tracks and are encouraged and grateful for the government's help." London mayor Sadiq Khan has deployed more police to Jewish areas after the weekend unrest, which came amid a wave of protests in European cities slamming Israel's military offensive against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel's security cabinet was to meet later Thursday to discuss a possible ceasefire after 11 days of clashes with militants in Gaza. The unrest has claimed the lives of more than 230 people, mostly Palestinians. jit/phz/kjl
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