I wouldn’t disagree about either Muslim hatred or traditional dislike of Jews among the elite. And the long term history of Jews in England aside, there’s certainly a more recent history of conflict in the first half of the last century. I’d distinguish the boycott from simple “dislike” though. It’s an overt act, one intended to cause significant harm both to individual Israelis (Jews in some versions) and Israeli institutions and business’ by expelling them from world markets. No, it probably won’t have a significant effect, Israel is on the cutting edge of too many things in the medical and technoligical sphere, the western business and academic community won’t forgo cooperation with Israel to satisfy a group of Brits. But it goes far beyone simple distaste for Jews into the realm of action.
I think I’m with you on that one. A lot of our friends in Britain, such as a few who posted replies above, are downplaying these boycott calls calling them “just a group of wacky individuals”, this is why I have to layout the whole confusing mesh to show them it is not as isolated pranks as they suggest.