A group of prominent British Muslims condemned Friday a surge in anti-Semitic attacks since the start of Israel’s Gaza offensive and urged Muslims to help prevent assaults on Jews.
The 20 Islamic figures, including imams, writers and academics, made the call in a letter sent to some 1,200 mosques and Islamic centres around the UK.
The initiative came after lawmakers voiced alarm at a “wave” of incidents targeting British Jews since the deadly offensive against Hamas began three weeks ago.
“The ongoing killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israeli forces has angered us all. However, this does not, and cannot, justify attacks on our fellow citizens of Jewish faith and background here in Britain,” they said.
“Most Muslims are completely against such behaviour. However, we call on all Muslims to continue to remain vigilant against attempts to bring our own faith and community into disrepute,” said the letter.
Usman Raja, a former supporter of jihadist groups and now a youth-worker tackling Islamist extremism, said: “On the streets the outrage among the Muslim youth is reaching fever-pitch.
“Attacks on perceived Jewish targets are on the increase and we can’t let this continue.
“We urgently need to re-humanise our relationships with the Jewish people.
We can’t allow conflicts in the Middle East to create barriers between us and our fellow citizens,” he said.
On Wednesday a parliamentary committee reported an increase in anti-Semitic attacks.
One synagogue has been subject to an arson attack, others were defaced and some Jewish people have been verbally abused and threatened, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Anti-Semitism said.
“It is easy to forget that even though the Jewish community has been well-established and assimilated in the UK for over 350 years, there is still a discernible sense of anxiety and vulnerability,” the group said in a statement.
“We must all do everything we can to reassure every community that we will not tolerate attacks, abuse or hostility aimed towards Jews, Muslims or anyone else on the back of the ongoing situation in Gaza.”
“We are calling on all right minded and peace-loving people to join us in ensuring that the United Kingdom is a place where debate and protest are peaceful and lawful, and communities are free to live, practice and worship without fear or intimidation.”
According to The Jewish News weekly, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in January looks set to exceed any previous month since records began.
Since the start of the Israeli offensive against Hamas on 29 December, a total of 101 incidents have been reported to the organisation, including threats against Jewish individuals or institutions, damage against or around communal property and abusive behaviour – the latter of which constituted more than half of the cases.
(Source: EJP)
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7 Responses
I’ll admit that I’m impressed by this. I should not be impressed when leaders rightfully condemn racist attacks, as they should, but given that the Muslim population is usually either completely silent in such matters or has extremist leaders actively encouraging it, a handful of prominent Muslims condemning the spread of violence is a breath of fresh air for once. Let’s just hope the population heeds their words.
This is the right way to act and Jewish leaders should praise these Muslim leaders for speaking out. Also praise YWN for bringing this to our attention. Jewish people and Moslem people are not responsible for the evil that that bad individuals commit,if they speak out against the evil doers..
1. In Europe, the Europeans (as opposed to recent Muslim immigrants) who attack Jews, also attack Muslims. Muslims with any sense of history know it is stupid to play into the hands of those who want favor expelling both Jews and Muslims.
2. Ignoring the current squabble over real estate (which as Dinei Mamonos is really something that should be settled by litigation rather than war), we have many common causes with the Muslims. Note that the movement to, for example, ban ritual slaughter, ban circumcision, ban religious education, ban religious marriages, ban religious clothing, etc.,affect us both.
What a smart political move by these Moslem clerics just when it became clear that Israel was going to revert back to its submissive self by making a unilateral ceasefire at the cusp of a commanding victory.
If it saves one Jew from harm then it was a good thing no doubt, but what of the future credibility that they have now gained for themselves which can hurt us long term?
The truth is we need to daven that Hashem be our savior on all fronts, in Israel and chutz laaretz.
Uva leTzion goel!
“It is easy to forget that even though the Jewish community has been well-established and assimilated in the UK for over 350 years, there is still a discernible sense of anxiety and vulnerability,” the group said in a statement.
This is a healthy attitude for a Yid in Galus.
We don’t own the town, or the city, or the country.
We are guests…
and we owe hakaras hatov to our hosts.
arrogance is not appropriate.
humility, and quiet avodas hashem
is what Hashem wants from us.
when we behave as we should,
G-d Fearing People of ALL NATIONS will respect us, and protect us… as we have been promised.
#5 [thinking out loud], have you read the classic novel ‘the scarlet pimpernel’, set in old France? it mocks the jew for his humble ‘apologetic’ attitude.
i’m not saying anything here other than the fact that –
and i quote you: “when we behave as we should,
God-fearing people of all nations will respect us, and protect us… as we have been promised”
doesn’t always apply.
sometimes, acting like we know we really don’t belong can lead to the nations agreeing with us wholeheartedly and acting on those feelings.
DeliberatelyEsoteric:
What should I say?
“From Your Mouth to G-d’s Ears”???
I never said we should act as we don’t belong. What exactly is wrong with you?
I was raised in The U.S.A.
We vote.
We dress appropriately.
and we try to make a kidush Hashem.
Always.
A relative in Baltimore heard in school,
“If we don’t make kiddush, the goyim make Havdalah”.
Have a gut voch, sir!