Not in My Name

The recently reported acts of criminal vandalism which targeted the library of a mosque in Kfar Yassuf should not go unremarked upon by British Jewish leaders.

As a Zionist and as a Jew I have no hesitation in condemning the dangerous hooliganism which such acts represent. I trust that the Israeli security services and police use every effort to apprehend; arrest; and bring to justice those who are responsible for these crimes and who thereby shame our religion and the cause for Israel.
Further those religious nationalist rabbis and leaders who have close links to the settler movement need to speak out and publicly state that such desecration was not carried out in their name.

I, and I am sure all of those who are currently working to fight against the demonisation of Israel and to combat the bigotry of so many commentators here in the UK, are appalled when occasional acts of violence or vigilantism are perpetrated by Jewish extremists. We rightly point out that these are the actions of members of a crazy lunatic fringe and that they have no support within the Israeli political or religious establishment.

Not only to be able to articulate that message clearly and effectively but more importantly to achieve the collective Jewish mission that represents the Zionist ideal, in all its ethical, social, and religious dimensions, we look to the Israeli Government to do everything within its power to prevent such acts of criminality and to isolate and counter the threat of such extremism with as much vigour as other forms of extremism are challenged.