He says he feared he would be 'questioned' about his 'opinions' and complains freedom of speech in Britain is 'only for liberal lefties'
March 14, 2019 10:37
Controversial Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi has told the JC he chose not to travel to the UK for a planned speaking tour for fear of being barred from entering the country.
Rabbi Mizrachi, who once suggested that Jews helped to bring about the Holocaust by “assimilating”, was reported on Wednesday to be facing a Home Office ban from entering Britain as he prepared to travel for a speaking tour.
This was because of his many controversial statements, including his claim that the French would be taken over by Muslims and “either be butchered or they will have to run out of France because the Arabs have many, many children and they grow very fast, plus immigration coming in non-stop”.
Rabbi Mizrachi was due to fly from New York on Wednesday but told the JC he chose not board his flight because of the “risk” being “questioned [on] my opinions when I arrive to the airport”.
It was suggested that it was his comments about Muslims in particular which caught the attention of British authorities.
“It's interesting that radical Muslim preachers are speaking freely all over England and Isis terrorists are coming in and out with no problem, but someone that teaches the exact original words of God's book cannot speak there," he said in a rambling email.
“The freedom of speech apparently exists in the UK only for liberal lefties. The Jews [who] reported me to the authorities will understand their critical mistake one day when these exact arguments will be used against all religious Jews that learn and speak the views of the Torah.”
Rabbi Mizrachi was scheduled to speak at a number of venues in London and Manchester, including the Beth Hamedrash Knesset Yehezkel shul in Golders Green, led by the outspoken Rabbi Aharon Bassous.
Rabbi Mizrachi has also said that autism and Down’s syndrome are punishments for the sins of a past life, and that “only” a million Jews perished in the Shoah because “80 percent of the Jewish people were assimilated and intermarried with non-Jews”.
He apologised for the latter remark.
His visit was opposed by Sara Khan, the anti-extremism tsar, who condemned his “appalling statements, including towards his fellow Jews”.
She added: "This kind of divisive rhetoric has a real impact on individuals, communities and wider society. I hope he gets the message that his abhorrent views aren’t welcome...
"I welcome the robust response to this rabbi from both local organisations and national leaders in the Jewish community."
On Wednesday, the Home Office declined to comment on Rabbi Mizrachi's case but said it exercises such powers “when the purpose of someone’s visit to this country is to spread hatred”.
A spokesman said: “This Government upholds free speech but we will not let it be used to excuse detestable views that directly contravene our values.
“We take the threat from extremism seriously and we will challenge it wherever we see it.”
Last week, two appearances in Manchester were cancelled: at the strictly-Orthodox Beis Yaakov High School and the Ta’am restaurant.
Rabbi Mizrachi, who has also opined that "mixed parties" increase the incidence of cancer, has been condemned by the Office of the Chief Rabbi and the senior rabbi of the S&P Sephardi Community, Rabbi Joseph Dweck.
