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.
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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.
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"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.
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"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.
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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.
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"Attacks on perceived Jewish targets are on the increase and we can't let this continue.
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"We urgently need to re-humanise our relationships with the Jewish people.
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We can't allow conflicts in the Middle East to create barriers between us and our fellow citizens," he said.
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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.
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"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.
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"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."
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"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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