Gaza conflict fuelling anger in UK, Muslims warn Brown

One question: What will he do?

In a letter to the prime minister, representatives of Muslim organisations will say the Israeli government's use of "disproportionate force" to combat threats to its security has "revived extremist groups" and "empowered their message of violence and perennial conflict".

The letter adds: "As you are aware, the anger within UK Muslim communities has reached acute levels of intensity. The Israeli government's use of disproportionate force ... has revived extremist groups and empowered their message of violence and perennial conflict. For Muslims in the UK and abroad, we run the risk of potentially creating a loss of faith in the political process."

The letter, first published in Muslim Youth, said: "We are in grave danger of sending a message to youth today that the mass murder of civilians can be justified if the right grievances are cited...

You can't fault their reasoning.

Letters from Muslim orgs tend to be rash and usually throw in everything but the kitchen sink.

This makes a change. Hopefully it's a sighn of progress that's been made at the top.

The third para I've quoted is about a letter from the Young Muslim Advisory Group. I had thought this group was going to be another group that the gov exploited for PR. But this seems to be a step in the right direction.

You

Gaza conflict fuelling anger in UK, Muslims warn Brown

Anger within Britain's Muslim communities over the Gaza conflict has reached "acute levels of intensity" that could have repercussions for national security, leading Muslims will warn Gordon Brown today.

The anger is a natural reaction tp people who are watching their brothers and sisters die, although there shouldnt be any repercussions for national security , only for israeli security , cuz Israel is more of a justified jihad than anything then afghanistan and iraq , and muslims who launch attacks on israel be it suicide bombs or any other means , will have support of all muslims..not jus exstremists

inshallah the day shall come when we can drag the israelis out by their long jewish noses

And so speaketh the voice of reason...

Anon.1
inshallah the day shall come when we can drag the israelis out by their long jewish noses

What a lovely sentiment.

BeastAnd so speaketh the voice of reason...

and so speaketh the voice of cowardlyness

fortunately their are some muslims out there with the balls to strike the israelis

Anon.1 cowardlyness

Awwww... that's so cute!

Do you want a cookie and a nice mug of warm milk?

Anon.1The anger is a natural reaction tp people who are watching their brothers and sisters die, although there shouldnt be any repercussions for national security , only for israeli security , cuz Israel is more of a justified jihad than anything then afghanistan and iraq , and muslims who launch attacks on israel be it suicide bombs or any other means , will have support of all muslims..not jus exstremists

inshallah the day shall come when we can drag the israelis out by their long jewish noses

I can understand why you're angry. But that doesn't mean we should let our anger cloud our judgement.

We should be careful not be as bad as the people we are angry at.

Attacks and bombings etc kill people and hurt people. There should be less violence not more.

I don't understand. Is this letter a 'threat' that if the UK don't magically end the Israeli occupation then they've only got themselves toblame if there are more suicide bombings in the UK?

That is just YUCK!

Ya'qubI don't understand. Is this letter a 'threat' that if the UK don't magically end the Israeli occupation then they've only got themselves toblame if there are more suicide bombings in the UK?

That is just YUCK!

They are telling the gov that Israel's bombing has "revived extremist groups and empowered their message of violence and perennial conflict." Basically saying that 'look, it's this kind of thing that leads to extremism and suicide bombings. Not faith schools, the language barrier, inter-generational conflict, piety, sexual repression, bad grades, arranged marriages, mosques, and all the other reasons which are usually given to explain away foreign policy as a cause of extremism.'

It doesn't actually mention national security or suicide bombings. They say that if peace isn't achieved young Muslims may loose faith in the political process. In other words 'you can try to get us all to be good citizens who write to their MPs and sign petitions but all that isn't going to make a difference if you don't get off your backsides and follow an ethical and honest foreign policy'.

The demands they make are
- UK should encourage the US to take a more positive role in the conflict
- UK should put an end to steps to give Israel EU membership.

If demands are not met then they are not threatening anything. They just say that Israel may carry out similar attacks again.

Beast
- UK should put an end to steps to give Israel EU membership.

???

True, muslims should control their anger! if they really wanna do something for the other muslms they sohuld make duaa!
Remember the strongest weapon is dua.All these protest and stuff yeah sure it puts the government under strain but islamically it breaks all rules in islam. Such as women and men 'intermingling'.

You

Beast
- UK should put an end to steps to give Israel EU membership.

???

We believe the time has come to suspend the EU-Israel upgrade process until the present conflict has been brought to an end.

Well, not quite EU membership. But this would probably lead to Israel joining the EU eventually. And not even an "end" to such steps but a suspension.

I should read these things more carefully.

Well, I totally missed that bit.

Anon.1

BeastAnd so speaketh the voice of reason...

and so speaketh the voice of cowardlyness

fortunately their are some muslims out there with the balls to strike the israelis

Courage isn't the ability or strength to obliterate your enemy, it's the ability to be rational and proportionate, and suicide bombing on civilians are not, and brave enough to challlenge. Muhammad (pbuh) said that: "The best struggle/Jihad is speaking the Truth in front of a Tyrant." (Tirmdhi)
Now, we have a PERFECt chance to do this. So use it!