Zack Polanski criticises Falkner’s comments on British Muslims and antisemitism as “inflammatory”

Former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission wrote yesterday the following, when members of the Muslim community commit violence against Jewish people for simply being Jewish, there are no mosque vigils or prayers, no loud hailers condemning perpetrators.To their shame and mine, Muslims in Britain appear entirely alienated from the plight of Jews when attacked.This silence speaks volumes.Do you understand her anger?

She is a Muslim.I think those are inflammatory comments.I think some of the work that I'm proudest of when I see in London is when imams and rabbis stand together side by side and say that attack on one is an attack on all, and together Jewish and Muslim people will stand in solidarity.I think that's the sort of leadership that we need right now, people standing up and working together in unity, not reaping further division.

So the points of view of two prominent Muslims, from your point of view, are just inflammatory because What, they're not your kind of Muslim?They can be as prominent as they want.I can still disagree with them.No, but you seem to be saying that somehow their views are not legitimate.

I think their views are wrong.You're not engaging with them at all.That's different to not legitimate.What I'm saying is that I think people in positions of power and people with responsibility right now have a responsibility to bring people together.That is not language that I think sounds like bringing people together.Even if it doesn't, even if it involves trying to tell the truth, what they see as the truth?

I think it's really important to tell the truth, and the truth right now is we need interfaith work, we need to make sure that we're bringing people together, we need investment in our communities, both faith and non -faith communities.I think that's what's important right now, rather than, I know you rejected earlier on when I said blaming an entire community for one person's actions is not what those words are saying, but that's very much what I'm hearing.