Gary Mond, the senior vice-president of the Board of Deputies, has resigned from the organisation, accusing it of having “cancelled” his views after it launched an investigation into allegations of Islamophobic activity on social media.
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, Mr Mond, who has been the deputy for the JNF UK, said, “Key people at the Board have made it clear that they no longer wish to work with me, which effectively forces my decision”.
On Wednesday, the Board announced it had asked him to step down from his duties pending an investigation into historic social media posts uncovered by the Jewish News.
In his statement, Mr Mond said he apologised “for any hurt that has been caused as a result of the excavation into my Facebook activity from many years ago. However, this cannot be a justification for any attempt to silence contradictory thought”.
But he accused the Board's leadership of leaning to the political left and being unwilling to take account of different views.
Mr Mond was alleged to have liked two posts by Pamela Geller, the American anti-Islamic activist who was banned from the UK some years ago.
He is also reported to have posted that civilisation was “at war” with Islam.
The controversy follows a strong reaction to remarks made by JNF UK chairman Samuel Hayek last month that Muslim immigration posed a threat to the future of Jews in Britain.
Although Mr Mond distanced himself from Mr Hayek’s comments, JNF UK is facing a motion of censure at the Board.
Mr Mond, who was voted senior vice-president in May, said on Thursday, “Those who voted for me were well aware of my connection to the JNF. I was and remain exceptionally popular among deputies, as evidenced by the support I have received in recent days – verbal and written – from so many.”
He went on: “Democracy, which the Board claims to be so proud of, is all about the representation of different political opinions, especially when those views resonate with a large number of deputies and also widely in the Jewish community. The Board has effectively ‘cancelled’ my views.”
The Board, he said, had become “unwilling to take account of differing views in recent years, with policy regularly being made by the honorary officers on important issues, without the deputies having a chance to vote.
“While it is well known that deputies are very divided, with last May a sitting president having been opposed for re-election for the first time since 1964 and witnessing 44 per cent of the votes cast for the challenging candidate, the Board, while having an appearance of democracy in terms of how deputies join it, often doesn’t follow that in making policy.
“I believe that the Board faces a crisis of legitimacy, and their behaviour towards me demonstrates this. The leadership of the Board leans to the political left with the silent majority not being heard.
“While on some issues – particularly recently - the Board has done well, overall I feel it is sliding into irrelevance.”
He concluded his resignation statement by stressing that “a comment that I made in an earlier statement, which is that I take a very positive view of the Muslim communities in this country and am delighted to work with them, opposing and condemning only those who wish to do those in the Jewish community and other communities harm.”
The Board’s trustees had been due to meet tonight to discuss suspending Mr Mond from the organisations’s charitable activities.
In a letter to deputies following Mr Mond's resignation, the Board's president Marie van der Zyl said an election for a new vice-president would be held in the near future.
She said the officers "greatly regret the circumstances which have led to Gary’s resignation, which are a matter of public record.
"As an organisation we are committed to fostering strong and positive relations with other faith and minority communities."
She added, "As the community’s leading democratic and representative body, the Board includes a wide range of political and religious views. These many perspectives give the
Board its strength and legitimacy. We encourage all deputies to participate and let their voices be heard."
The officers thanked Mr Mond for his years of service, noting in particular his contribution to the community and education division (which he chaired until his resignation), his initiation of an Israel education programme for deputies and championing of a planned Israel tour.
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