TACKLING PREJUDICE: Signatories Justin Welby, Qari Asim and Sir Ephraim Mirvis (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
An open letter to the Sunday Express was written to commemorate the tragedy of the October 7 attacks on last year, and the subsequent war in Gaza.
And last night, the initiative, organised by the Together Coalition, was described as “a major intervention”.
While conflict has raged, the effects have also been felt in the UK where the past 12 months have been marred by a record number of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents.
Worryingly, the distance between faith leaders, who had previously enjoyed good relations with each other, has also widened.
“In these challenging times, we must also reject those who seek to divide us,” they say in the letter. “Anti-Jewish hate and anti-Muslim hate have no place in the UK today. We must stand together against prejudice and hatred in all its forms.”
It was signed by some of the country’s most important religious figures, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and Imam Qari Muhammad Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, and Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis.
Other signatories include Dilwar Hussain, chair of New Horizons in British Islam and Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy, co-leads of Progressive Judaism.
Speaking last night, Brendan Cox, the co-founder of the Together Coalition, said: “This is a major intervention by a who’s who of British faith leaders.
“Their ability to come together and recognise each other’s grief is the leadership we need. Over the past year anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attacks have skyrocketed. This letter is a critical commitment to work together to tackle both together.”
According to the Community Security Trust there have been around 2,000 recorded incidents of anti-semitism since launched a war against terror group Hamas in Gaza.
Nowhere has this been more pronounced than at university campuses, which have experienced a 465 per cent rise in anti-Jewish hate.
Attacks against Muslims have also increased, with around 2,000 reports between October 7 and February 7. Ms Baginsky said: “In the past year it has been incredibly difficult for faith leaders to speak with one voice. That is why this letter is so important – a collective recognition of each other’s pain and a steadfast commitment to fight prejudice together.”
Former British Army imam Asim Hafiz, who also signed the letter, said: “The Hamas attack on October 7 was horrific, and the subsequent Israeli response has led to widespread devastation in Gaza.
“Regardless of differing perspectives on the conflict, it is vital people of faith who seek peace come together to understand each other’s pain and mourn all the innocent lives lost.
“Only by acknowledging our shared humanity and suffering can we work toward seeing each other as human and fostering peace.”
The letter in full….
It has been a year since the brutal Hamas terrorist attacks in , and the start of this devastating war in Gaza and beyond.
During this time, the scale of human suffering has been horrific. As people of faith from Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities in the UK, while we may hold different views about aspects of the conflict, we stand united in our grief and in our belief that our shared humanity must bring us together.
Our faiths and our humanity teach us that we should mourn for all the innocent people who have lost their lives.
In these challenging times, we must also reject those who seek to divide us. Anti-Jewish hate and anti-Muslim hate have no place in the UK today.
We must stand together against prejudice and hatred in all its forms.
The UK has long been a model of different communities and religions getting along with each other. We commit to upholding and nurturing this proud tradition.