Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has chaired an emergency Cobra meeting amid fears the conflict between Israel and Hamas could increase the terrorist threat.
Mr. Sunak, Home Secretary Suella Braverman and representatives of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, MI5 and GCHQ gathered to discuss the latest intelligence on threats to the UK.
The terrorist threat in England, Wales and Scotland remains “substantial”—meaning an attack is likely—and has been at that level since February 2022 when it was lowered from “severe”—meaning the threat is highly likely—a level which may be restored if intelligence suggests there is a pressing threat.
Britain, along with the U.S., has been steadfast in its support for Israel’s right to retaliate against Hamas after the Oct. 7 attacks and this may render it open to attacks by pro-Hamas extremists or even potentially to anti-Semitic forces on the right.
On Monday the prime minister’s spokesman told reporters: “I wouldn’t get in speculating on the terror threat. You’re right that it’s done by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre rather than set through a Cobra meeting.”
He said he could not be “definitive” about the terrorism status was being discussed at the meeting and said it was not, “helpful to speculate” on whether the war in Gaza might have a knock-on effect in the UK.
The spokesman said: “We have expert security services and police forces working around the clock to try and keep the public safe. Clearly we recognise the potential for increased challenges due to the ongoing situation in Israel and Gaza. We’re very mindful of that. It is why there have been continuous discussions including with security services and the police about how we can keep the public safe.”
He said: “Obviously it’s up to the police to make an operational decision about the use of that language if they see fit to do so, but I can understand how the use of that language and others will be of significant concern to many.”
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Mark Rowley warned on Sunday terrorism was being “accelerated” by events in Israel and Gaza and he warned of, “state threats from Iran.”Cleverly Warns of ‘Disinformation and Manipulation’
The foreign secretary, James Cleverly, has warned those who sympathised with the Palestinians to be “conscious of disinformation and manipulation.”Mr. Cleverly, who is in Abu Dhabi, has been pressing for humanitarian aid to be delivered into Gaza and is also seeking to negotiate the rescue of 200 British nationals who are trapped in the Gaza strip.
He met the United Arab Emirates’ foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and praised him for his “thoughtful and authoritative” position.
Huge amounts of humanitarian aid are “predominantly stuck” in Egypt, said Mr. Cleverly.
“It’s trickling through, but we need a significant increase in the volume,” he told broadcasters in U.A.E.
Meanwhile U.S. President Joe Biden’s security adviser, Jake Sullivan, has suggested Hamas is deliberately blocking the evacuation of British and other foreign nationals.
Mr. Sullivan said Egypt and Israel were prepared to allow foreign nationals to leave via the Rafah crossing but he accused Hamas of putting obstacles in the way.
Jake Sullivan: Hamas Blocking Departure of UK Nationals
Mr. Sullivan told the CBS news channel: “The challenge right now is that the Egyptians are prepared to let Americans and other foreign nationals out of Gaza. The Israelis have no issue with that. But Hamas is preventing their departure and making a series of demands.”The Israeli military said on Sunday it had struck more than 450 Hamas targets over the past 24 hours, but the death toll in Gaza is believed to now exceed 8,000.
Hamas and its allies, the Islamic Jihad, are still firing rockets into Israel.
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy arrived in Jordan on Monday for his own talks about the situation in the Middle East.
He will also meet officials in Qatar and Egypt to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and the situation in Gaza.
