'Israel is home' Fury as Benjamin Netanyahu calls for mass emigration of Jewish people

A CALL from Israel's Prime Minister for the "massive immigration" of Jewish people from Europe following recent terror attacks has today been met with dismay.

Benjamin NetanyahuEPA/GETTY

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken out over another attack on Jewish people

Benjamin Netanyahu made his plea for Europe's Jewish population to emigrate to Israel just hours after fatal shootings in Danish capital Copenhagen, where a freedom of speech event and a synagogue were both targeted.

The attack came just over a month since France suffered a three-day terror siege, sparked by the shooting of staff at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

Mr Netanyahu made the comments at a weekly cabinet meeting, where he told ministers the wave of attacks were "expected to continue".

Netanyahu urges Jews to move to Israel after Copenhagen attacks

Denmark's chief rabbi Jair Melchior AP

Denmark's chief rabbi Jair Melchior

We are in shock. We didn't think such a thing could happen in Denmark

Rabbi Bent Lexner

However, today, Denmark's chief rabbi was one of the first to react with "disappointment" at the Israeli leader's remarks.

Jair Melchior said: "People from Denmark move to Israel because they love Israel, because of Zionism. But not because of terrorism.

“If the way we deal with terror is to run somewhere else, we should all run to a deserted island."

Meanwhile France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls told the country's 475,000-strong Jewish population he "regretted" Mr Netanyahu's remarks and questioned the timing - just a month before he is to seek re-election to the Israel Parliament on March 17. 

He said: "My message to French Jews is the following: France is wounded with you and France does not want you to leave.

"I regret Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks. Being in the middle of an election campaign doesn't mean you authorise yourself to make just any type of statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuEPA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the statements ahead of his weekly cabinet meeting

"The place for French Jews is France."

Yesterday, Mr Netanyahu commented after Saturday's Copenhagen shootings, which killed two people. 

He said: "Again, Jews were murdered on European soil just because they were Jews.

"This wave of attacks is expected to continue, as well as murderous anti-Semitic attacks.

"Jews deserve security in every country, but we say to our Jewish brothers and sisters, Israel is your home."

On Saturday, film director Finn Nørgaard, 55, was shot dead during a free speech debate at a cafe - which had been due to feature controversial cartoonist Lars Vilks. 

France's Prime Minister Manuel VallsAP

France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls

The Swedish artist sparked anger in 2007 with drawings depicting the Prophet Muhammed as a dog.

Just hours later, Jewish security guard Dan Uzan was shot in the head as he worked at a young girl's Bar Mitzvah. 

The 37-year-old was a long-time security guard and active member of the country's 7,000-strong Jewish community.

The suspected gunman, named as Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, 22, was killed by police at a metro station yesterday amid fears the attacks were inspired by the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris. 

Police forensics inspect bullet holes in the door of Krudttoenden cafeEPA

Police forensics inspect bullet holes in the door of Krudttoenden cafe

French Minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve visits the terror siteEPA

French Minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve visits the terror site

There are an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 Jewish people living in Denmark, including around 2,000 active members of the Jewish community, which operates its own security patrol that coordinates with police to protect Jewish institutions.

The community had previously asked police for enhanced security, and following last month’s attack on a kosher supermarket in Paris, Danish police began reevaluating security arrangements.

Danish Chief Rabbi Bent Lexner (L) and President of the Jewish Society in Denmark Dan Rosenberg AsmussenEPA

Danish chief Rabbi Bent Lexner and Jewish Society President Dan Rosenberg Asmussen
Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?