In some ways, the hopeful atmosphere of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Forum launch in London is a world away from the front lines of the Israel-Hamas war.

But in other ways, the violent conflict in the Middle East I just departed from rages on in the hearts and minds of those in Western nations, as seen here in London where tens of thousands of anti-Israel protesters have taken to the streets.

The migrant crisis is real. London has fallen. https://t.co/Y5Go9Detiw

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) October 28, 2023

It has raised concerns here in the U.K. and in other Western democracies about the sharp rise in anti-Semitism that is casting a shadow over the city and leading some to come to the conclusion that the city is not safe for Jews anymore.

"In the last couple of days I've had people say to me, is it safe to come to London being a Jew? That's a shameful, shameful situation to be in," British author and political commentator Douglas Murray told me at the gathering.

He said the sentiment of shame wasn't directed at the victims, but rather at the city itself.

"It's a shame of London," he added. "London should never have allowed it to get like this."

The ARC Forum, billed as an 'antidote to the World Economic Forum,' has brought in over 1500 conservative-leaning delegates from around the world to London for the inaugural conference.