Virgin Atlantic chief: ‘Jews are enduring a difficult period in Britain’

Shai Weiss faced 'hardship and devastation' as a tank corps platoon commander in the Israeli Defence Forces - Virgin Atlantic

Britain is an increasingly difficult place for Jews to live, the chief executive of Virgin Atlantic has warned.

Shai Weiss, born in Jerusalem and formerly a tank commander in the Israeli army, said he was concerned about the rise in anti-Semitic abuse since war broke out between Israel and Hamas.

While he has not been personally subjected to anti-Semitism, he said identifiable Jews are “suffering for sure” amid heightened political tensions.

Mr Weiss, who has lived in London for three decades and describes himself as a secular Israeli, told The Telegraph: “I’ve always been fortunate.

“The number of incidents I have experienced personally over 27 years in the UK is not more than a handful of innuendos, jokes and comments.

“Israel was never the issue. Rather it was silly jokes about Jews from people I knew, especially about money. Finance, blah, blah, blah, you know where this is going. Bigotry.

“Now, though, it’s a difficult period for Jews in the United Kingdom. If you’re identifiable you’re suffering for sure. Nothing happens to me. But I haven’t been to the demonstrations.”

In his first set of public remarks since the conflict started, Mr Weiss – whose parents lost relatives during the Holocaust – urged Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government to agree to a peace deal to end the war in Gaza.

Given his first-hand experience of conflict, he said parties on both sides of the divide must seize the chance for peace after eight months of fighting.

He approves of the peace proposals made public by President Biden last month, which could – alongside plans from Tony Blair for a longer-term settlement – deliver a lasting agreement between Israel and Palestine.

He said: “I know there is a better way. What happened on October 7 is unthinkable, but I very much subscribe to the Biden plan, and what Tony Blair has said.”

Mr Weiss joined the board of Virgin Atlantic in 2012 and was head of the company’s commercial and finance divisions before becoming chief executive in 2019.

Prior to that, he worked at telecoms provider NTL Telewest and Morgan Stanley, having completed two business degrees in New York.

However, it was during his national service in Israel that Mr Weiss experienced a remarkably different existence, rising to the rank of platoon commander in the tank corps of the Israeli Defence Forces.

He said he favoured a combat role during his time with the IDF, experiencing the “hardship and devastation” of conflict as he was shot at, and shot back.

It is from this perspective that Mr Weiss, who holds joint Israeli and British nationality, wants to end the conflict that has killed an estimated 37,000 people.

He said: “I’m hoping that in the short term we can follow Biden’s and Netanyahu’s plan.

“A cessation of violence, a return of all the hostages and a new civilian body to manage Gaza and the recovery.”

The plan revealed by President Biden on May 31 was devised by Israel but has faced staunch opposition from two of the country’s nationalist parties.

Hamas has also pushed back against elements of the proposal, with its demands thought to include a timeline for a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Beyond that, a blueprint set out by Tony Blair at a JP Morgan summit last month could offer the best hope for a permanent settlement, Mr Weiss said.

“What he said was that first, a two-state solution is probably the right way to go, because we need to give hope to everyone, including the Palestinians.

“Second, and I’m quoting Tony Blair, is that when you look at it, Israelis also have to feel safe, so security must come into this. That means that Hamas should not be around.

“And third, the Palestinian Authority needs to end its corrupt ways and find a way where it can lead its people to the promised land. Now all of these things will take years to achieve but I think it’s a very good blueprint that Tony Blair outlined.”

Mr Weiss, who spoke in Las Vegas  – where Virgin Atlantic recently celebrated its 40th anniversary – said his views are his own and that the company takes no stance on political matters.

To prove the airline’s apoliticism, he points to recent partnership deals announced at an airline industry gathering in Dubai.

He said: “We announced a codeshare with El Al and a codeshare with Saudi Arabia. And in the middle was one with Scandinavian, SAS. I think that tells you everything. Virgin Atlantic is all about hope.”

Mr Weiss, who was diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago, said he remains in remission from the disease and that his “chances are getting better” as time passes.

He is now targeting record revenues at Virgin Atlantic, shifting his focus to delivering profitable growth as part of a five-year plan that will run from the end of next year.

Shai Weiss wants a dedicated Heathrow terminal for Sir Richard Branson's airline - Virgin Atlantic

Whether Mr Weiss will still be occupying the position at the end of that period is unclear, having overseen the company’s recovery since Covid – when lockdown restrictions nearly tipped the company into collapse.

He said it be “a hell of a stint” at the business if he were to remain until 2030, as he calculated that he has already been at Virgin Atlantic for almost a third of his existence.

But he added: “For as long as I love what I do, I have energy and Virgin Atlantic is progressing, I’ll stick around.

“You’re talking to the leader of a company who was asked for five years about survival and transformation. Nobody mentions that now. You can ask if I’m going to hang up my boots. I’ll say I’m not the retiring kind.”

Beyond a long-stated aim to make Virgin Atlantic “the world’s most loved travel company,” Mr Weiss said he has no desire to secure his place in airline history.

One very concrete monument, however, may be a terminal dedicated entirely to Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Weiss has made this a top priority as the saga of Heathrow’s third runway drags on, which has restricted Virgin to a shortage of slots amid fierce competition among airlines.

In an ideal world, this will mean a new home for Virgin on par with the Terminal 5 complex built for British Airways and its allies.

He said: “I’m talking about a new home for Virgin Atlantic. This is not tomorrow morning. It’s probably five years out. But we won’t stop until it happens.”

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