British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the “sparks” of conflict in the Middle East “have had a negative impact on communities here in Britain,” and he criticised the “abhorrent hatred” against Jews and Muslims since the attacks of October 7, 2023.

In an article in the Sunday Times, ahead of the first anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel, Starmer called on all parties to the conflict “to exercise restraint and return to political rather than military solutions,” the PA Media news agency reported.

“The sparks of this deadly conflict now threaten the entire region, and these sparks have negatively affected our communities here,” he said.

“There will always be those who exploit conflict abroad to foment conflict here,” he added. “Since October 7, we have seen a rise in hateful hatred against Jews and Muslims in our communities.”

Starmer had expressed concern earlier this week that the region was “on the brink of collapse” after Iran’s missile attack on Israel.