Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn, Richard Burden and Yasmin Qureshi owe Theresa May, the Home Secretary, a huge debt of gratitude for having had Sheikh Raed Salah detained on Tuesday night. She might just have saved their careers.
Had the homophobic preacher been allowed to speak at wednesday night’s event at the Houses of Parliament there would now be photographs circulating of them sharing a platform with him.
These photos would, no doubt, have featured in the political literature for the next general election and would probably have led to these MPs’ crushing defeats, as sharing platforms with self-confessed homophobes is not something the British public would wish to be associated with.
Instead Salah is awaiting deportation back to Israel.
Meanwhile, in his defence Middle East Monitor and Palestine Solidarity Campaign have been raising the straw man that Salah is not an anti-Semite on the basis of lack of proof.
While he is accused of claiming that Jews use the blood of children to make their bread, his blatant homophobia has not been made a huge issue of. His supporters are defending him only against claims of anti-Semitism.
Qureshi and Burden issued similar statements along these lines.
But Just Journalism has now uncovered a 2003 interview with Haaretz where Salah gave these answers:
What is your opinion of the legislation now being discussed in the Knesset, which would grant Muslim women rights similar to those of Jewish women in matters of personal status?
“That bill is tantamount to a war on Islam. It is an attempt to dictate different, foreign values that are neither Muslim nor Palestinian values.”
What is your opinion of homosexuality?
“It is a crime. A great crime. Such phenomena signal the start of the collapse of every society. Those who believe in Allah know that behavior of that kind brings his wrath and is liable to cause the worst things to happen. There is no solution for this, unless the individual’s faith is strengthened.”
In this statement Salah denies most of the accusations:
“It has been claimed that he repeated a ‘blood libel’ by saying, ‘among those whose blood was mixed with the sacred (Jewish) bread’; this is an absolute lie and a malicious fabrication.”
“With regard to the statement that ‘the Creator made from you [the Jews] monkeys and losers’, this is again a lie and fabrication.”
“I unequivocally condemn all forms of racism, including anti- Semitism, Islamophobia, and racism towards my own people, the Palestinians.”
There are no denials about his homophobia and thoughts on the inequality of women.
So what does Sarah Colborne think of sharing a platform with someone who thinks homosexuality “is a crime…that is liable to cause the worst things to happen”. Obviously nothing.
Colborne uses her own homosexuality as a political weapon. She recently wrote to Marc Almond complaining about “real homophobia confronted by the LGBT community inside Israel” and urged him to cancel his tour to Israel. He did cancel, although Almond said it “was not for any political reason”:
“Dear Marc Almond,
I was shocked to hear that you were scheduled to perform in Israel. Listening to your music, I always assumed that you had a clear and unstinting compassion for those who face discrimination and oppression. Your music provided the soundtrack to many lesbians and gay men growing up in a hostile society. And as a lesbian who has been actively supporting Palestinian rights for over a decade, I felt obliged to write to you personally.
Israel is attempting to ‘pinkwash’ itself as tolerant, and gay-friendly in an attempt to paint over the discrimination, racism and apartheid that Palestinians face on a daily basis. It is an attempt to cover up Israel’s flouting of international law and its violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Those who support Israel’s crimes continue to propogate the colonialist fantasies of a civilised and gay-friendly Israel, as opposed to hostile, homophobic Palestinians. This not only denies the real homophobia confronted by the LGBT community inside Israel, but also the reality of life as a lesbian or gay Palestinian living under a brutal military occupation. By propogating this fantasy, Israel is attempting to co-opt support from LGBT artists and activists in other countries for its violence towards Palestinians.
I have worked with the Palestinian community in Britain and internationally, travelled to Palestinian towns and villages, and I was on the Mavi Marmara last year when it was attacked by Israeli commandos whilst in international waters, taking aid to Gaza. Our shared experiences of homophobia and discrimination should make us even more sensitive to, and supportive of, the cause of equality, freedom and justice for Palestine.
I urge you to listen to the voices of Palestinian gay and lesbian organisations, for example Palestinian Queers for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (PQBDS). Please listen to those of us in the LGBT community in Britain, who believe that until Palestinians are free, none of us are free.
The cause of Palestine is the cause of justice and freedom. Please do not taint the love of the LGBT community for your music by playing in Israel.
Sarah Colborne”
Yet, here she is sitting next to him on Monday night at an event sponsored by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which she heads, and Middle East Monitor.
Conway Hall: Salah and Sarah Colborne in the middle
It just goes to show that Salah’s vile views can be overlooked where the joint goal is the vilification of Israel.
Will Qureshi, Corbyn and Burden now denounce Salah as a homophobe or do they consider homophobia to be less serious than anti-Semitism?
At the next general election the British public will be made well aware that these three Labour MPs were due to share a platform with someone who has clearly expressed homophobic views.
And what about the PSC, which sponsored the event on Monday night where Salah spoke and sponsored the event at Parliament on Wednesday where he was due to speak?
Will the PSC’s patrons stay silent about an organisation they support, but which has now sponsored a homophobic preacher?
Those patrons include Tony Benn, actress Julie Christie, Victoria Brittain, playwright Caryl Churchill (who wrote Seven Jewish Children), RMT leader Bob Crow, writer William Dalrymple, the reverend Garth Hewitt, Ghada Karmi, Bruce Kent, Lowkey, Karma Nabulsi, Ilan Pappe, Alexei Sayle and Benjamin Zephania.
On the Reverend Stephen Sizer’s blog there is also a defence of Salah. Salah is referred to as a “well-respected Palestinian leader”.
Do Salah’s views on homosexuality make him a well-respected leader?
On The Apprentice the project manager on the losing team is invariably fired for the team’s losing performance. In the case of PSC chief Sarah Colborne Alan Sugar would already be pointing his finger and saying:
“Sarah. You’re fired.”
RichardMillett's Blog 
There are homophobes on our side, which some of our number turn a blind eye to. One of them, included on your Blogroll, wrote in the Daily Mail recently that gay people secretly run Britain, and compared us to those who have sex with animals.
I agree with your points re Salah. Our side should up our game in this regard, too.
What is it with these f*cker’s? When it comes to racism and bigotry against Jews they either become very angry with those on the receiving end of that racism or there eyes just seem to glaze over as they sink into the quick sand of denial
Apart from the homophobia issue, why is it that Sarah seemingly turns a blind eye to the misogyny of Salah?
Ever heard this? “Don’t wrestle with a pig in mud because you’ll get very dirty and the pig will just enjoy it.” So it is with those whose lifestyles and ‘cultures’ are such that they are advocating for and “supporting” the ‘rights’ of a HAMAS dominated “Palestinian” state which will introduce Sharia Law which condemns all homosexuals to a torturous death – usually by putting them in a sack and beating them to death (and in the case of male homosexuals in Saudi and other Islamic states by total castration by sword or dagger prior to execution).
Methinks Ms. Colborne has a ‘few kangas loose in the top paddock’ (excuse the old Australianism – can’t help it as I’m an old Australian) or she has murderous intent for her fellow gay and lesbian like-fellows. She’s obviously a self-hating ‘gay’ and this twisted mind-set is reflected in her viciously anti-Israel stance. A bit of poison in one bit of consciousness generally poisons the whole lot. I’ve actually never met a completely sane anti-Israelist / anti-Semitic yet; either in person or in print / media.
Sadly, those of the West who are avid supporters of the Islamisation of the eastern Med (a better term than Middle-East) and the destruction of Israel – the two are intimately connected, are poorly educated, prone to an inability to see reality, nor able to face facts. Superstition and inculcated bigotry and hatred pass as a ‘good’ Islamic education – and these deluded Westerners fill the classrooms just waiting to be beaten by their masters.
She should go or be pushed, and should be closely followed and just as publicly by Caroline Lucas, who turns a blind eye to antisemtiism in the Green Party and acted as a character witness (lol) for the scrotes who were acquitted by Bathurst-Norman in the SmashEDO trial.
I can’t see how anyone could be a liability fo the PSC, the very formation of which was a liability to Palestinians, but Lucas is a disgrace and has brought the Greens into disrepute.
In last week’s Jewish Chonicle’s interview with Lucas she said that the PSC wants a two state solution. Lucas is clueless.
She is neither clueless nor does she turn a blind eye. She has actively steered the so-called Green Party in such a direction that it is now more akin to a Brown (shirt) party.
“Those patrons include Tony Benn, actress Julie Christie, Victoria Brittain, playwright Caryl Churchill (who wrote Seven Jewish Children), RMT leader Bob Crow, writer William Dalrymple, the reverend Garth Hewitt, Ghada Karmi, Bruce Kent, Lowkey, Karma Nabulsi, Ilan Pappe, Alexei Sayle and Benjamin Zephania.”
Thank you for reminding us once again which pondscum we should fumigate from our homes.
Richard
Lucas is not clueless. She knows exactly what she is saying having learnt the art of double speak from her Islamist colleagues . One version for the JC , a very different one in front of downing street at a PSC rally attended a couple of months ago when she went into the from ” the river to the sea Palestine will be free ” mantra The woman is an inveterate liar .
Harvey, is there a youtube of her singing from river to sea etc.?
No just my own two ears . Unfortunately a couple of weeks before upgrade to iPhone . There were several of us on the downing street side opposite until we were moved on by the police for not having previously arranging a counter demo . A great pity
.
She’ll probably do it again, in which case I hope someone records her and posts it on youtube.
Hi All,
Tell me, does this opposing the radical Muslims because they’re homophobes really work? I assume that the aim is to establish a broad-based Judeo-HomLesbi coalition with the gays campaigning for us and us for them. That way we all appear quite altruistic.
Pity the German Jews never thought of the idea. They could have opposed Hitler because he was anti-gypsy. That ought to have done the trick.
As it’s only a matter of minutes before I’m donned homophobic too, I’ll quickly state what to me is the obvious:
1. Homophobia is not a recognized mental illness, but a term commonly used to describe people who hate, or are afraid of gays.
2. Someone can disagree with a practice, or even believe that it should be illegal without being either scared or hating those who practice it. I believe that there are many non-Jews who oppose practices such shechita and circumcision, for many reasons quite unrelated to anti-Semitism.
Similarly a Muslim or a Jew or a Catholic may consider homosexuality to be a sin and even wish for it to be illegalized, while being neither afraid of gays nor hating them. Therefore, in my opinion, it is unfair to describe Muslims who oppose homosexuality as homophobes.
3. The question as to whether the homosexuality should be regarded as a sin and as such should be punishable or whether it should be regarded as a legitimate life choice, perhaps as legitimate as heterosexuality is to my mind a valid one and people should not have to fear that if they advocate the former they will be labeled homophobes. I believe that both points of view have strong arguments in their favor and neither need resort to name-calling.
4. If I adopt the incorrect usage by many posters on this excellent blog and call anyone who opposes homosexuality a “homophobe”, then OyVaGoy is doubtlessly correct in saying that there are people who hold such opinions in our “camp” too. In Israel homosexuality is legal and to the best of my knowledge gays are neither persecuted nor particularly discriminated against. However, there are those among us who do not see homosexuality as an equally legitimate lifestyle option and consider it a sin. I, together with most orthodox Jews and others share that point of view.
To be sure I neither hate gays nor fear them. I also consider eating non-Kosher and desecrating the Sabbath sins and neither do I judge anyone nor do I know which is the worst sin and which is the best. I am not advocating doing anything about it, certainly not until the Messiah returns, but that is my opinion, by definition I believe it to be correct and right or wrong I consider it a legitimate point of view.
I didn’t mean people with views such as yours, Daniel.
I meant people who actively go out of their way to persecute gay people.
Homophobia is not something which is unique amongst Muslims, there are many Christians and Jews who are homophobic. Melanie Phillips who is a champion of Israel and all it stands for has recently revealed her homophobic views in the Daily Mail. Strange though that Richard Millett has not called for her to be locked-up and/or to be publicly shunned by supporters of Israel. Why not?
Melanie has not called for them to be stoned to death, has she, oh bear of very little brain?
“Therefore, in my opinion, it is unfair to describe Muslims who oppose homosexuality as homophobes.”
Unless, just maybe (?), they are among the many hundreds of thousands of followers of the many hundreds of terribly moderate mullahs who call for gays to be stoned, some of whom (these mullahs) have been allowed to address meetings even inside parliament.
As usual, thank Labour for dragging this country into the sewer.
“The question as to whether the homosexuality should be regarded as a sin and as such should be punishable … is to my mind a valid one”
Not in the 21st century, it isn’t. It’s like saying that calling for sex outside marriage to be a punishable offence is a ‘valid viewpoint’. It might have been one in the 12th century, and obviously there are among us many believers in sky fairies who think it still is. But the majority of people in civilised countries have managed to move on from the 12th century, and no longer advocate slavery, hanging as a reasonable punishment for theft, bear baiting and other such primitive beliefs.
Why is there a similarity between the views of those who regard homosexuality as a sin and those who call for sex outside of marriage to be a punishable offense? Why not extend the comparison to incest? To the best of my knowledge incest is still illegal in most Western countries and while I believe this should not change, I don’t consider someone who wishes to legalise incest between consenting adults to be living in Sodom or Ancient Rome and thus worthy of my scorn.
A few years ago a father and daughter in Australia announced publicly that they had been living as husband and wife and had conceived children – apparently healthy. It posed an interesting post modern dilemma to those who live in a world with no fixed moral compass, such as religion. They love each other, they’re not doing anyone any harm, why not?
I could go further and recall societies that effectively legalized the killing of various minorities including Jews as late as the 20th Century. It is exactly when there is no absolute moral code and all depends on time, place and our perceived needs, that the wrong people can allow themselves to do as they wish.
Finally,I have no idea how the 12th century plays into all this as to the best of my knowledge homosexuality was only legalized in most of the Western world in the twentieth century. I wholly respect those who consider this to be human progress and good, but is no other opinion even legitimate?
I am a Jew and nobody will make me feel ashamed of the dark ages. In those years my fathers were not persecuting minorities, running crusades nor silencing the voices of reason and human advancement. Those were the years when the greatest of our books were written, books that 50 million South Koreans have only just discovered. Those were the years when the greatest of our sages lived and taught. Needless to say, neither they nor any other Jewish thinker I know of has “advocated slavery” or hanging as a reasonable punishment for theft. None of my ancestors baited bears.
http://muqata.blogspot.com/2011/03/talmud-study-now-mandatory-in-south.html
“I could go further and recall societies that effectively legalized the killing of various minorities including Jews as late as the 20th Century. It is exactly when there is no absolute moral code and all depends on time, place and our perceived needs, that the wrong people can allow themselves to do as they wish.”
What an absurd argument and complete non-sequitur (and one that reveals your toxic hate for anyone who doesn’t share your world view): according to this ‘argument’, freedom to be homosexual leads in a direct line to the gas chambers.
You really are a seriously sick individual.
Hi Leah,
I consider this to be a serious topic that concerns the way a society relates to minorities or those whose views or lifestyles or opinions are different to what is considered at any given time as normal. For that reason I shall continue to relate in a polite and orderly way to this discussion, feeling no inclination or need to be dragged into any exchange of verbal abuse or name-calling.
As in the past I suspect that you may be not so much twisting my words as genuinely failing to understand them. Either way, let’s try again. While I respect the views of those who do, and consider them no less valid than mine, I do not consider homosexuality to be a legitimate lifestyle choice.
I live in a Western democracy in which it is the right of my elected representatives to decide otherwise and legalize such practices. As a generally law-abiding citizen I respect their decision. I also object to those who seek to persecute or discriminate against homosexuals. Furthermore, several years ago I stopped supporting Moezet Yesha (a right wing settler movement) because of their intent to bus in demonstrators against a gay parade in Jerusalem. While their demonstration was legal and legitimate, I felt that it fell outside of their mandate.
However, as somebody who holds what is probably a minority viewpoint in this matter, I expect to be able to express it without being the object of silly personal abuse. If I am to respect the choices gays even though I don’t agree with them, is it unfair for me to expect others to likewise respect my point of view?
Finally, I did not for a moment say or imply in any way, that tolerance of homosexuality leads to the establishment of gas chambers. If any other poster or indeed the author of this excellent blog thinks otherwise, and that what I said can be so construed, I’ll be happy to rephrase. If not, I will put it down once again to an angry, seemingly frustrated lady, searching my posting with her grubby magnifying glass for something, anything, that she might attack, and then, when all else fails trying to put her own silly words into my mouth.
As I said, this subject really is to consequential for trifles. Let’s all respect each other and discuss ideas not each other. Who was it that said that small people discuss other people, mediocre people discuss events, but great people discuss ideas?
Have a wonderful day!
Dear Richard,
I am having a lot of mysterious electronics trouble and one of them is that I seem not to receive e-mails from earlier posts I had previously subscribed to any longer. It must have been going on for quite a while. I checked my WordPress account. It doesn’t give me any clue.
I just wanted to say that I haven’t lost interest in your blog far from it, it is just that my access to the internet has been getting more and more confusing since late March.
So this comment is just to let you and everybody else interested know and test, whether this time I will receive follow-up comments via email.
I prefer e-mail to Comment RSS-feeds because the feed has proved in the past to be incomplete and yours is especially useless since it seems to be restricted to just 10 comments.
Hope to be back soon and apologize for not having told of my troubles/confusions/irritations earlier.
Love to y’all
שלום, אני לא טעמתי קפה הישראלית, אבל יש לי קפה כי הוא קפה ערבי עם הל לבנון. זוהי הקרקע טריים פנטסטי. הלוואי שזה יהיה הנמכרים בדוכני השוק וחנויות הישראלי לאיכות זה סטנדרט גבוה. אני חושש כי “ארומה” יש עוד דרך ארוכה ללכת כדי להגיע לאיכות העליון של שעועית מעורבת מעורבב עם הל לבנון הקרקע טרי אני אשמח לטעום את האיכות של קפה טורקי לבנון הקרקע בערבית בסדר עם הל בישראל. ארומה היא פשוט שמיימי. כן כמובן, אני אוהב בשמים איכות ערבית מעורב ברמה הגבוהה ביותר של בשמת העתיקה של המזרח הקרוב ערב העוד ווד. שילוב של ניחוח בשמים יפה ערב מעורבב עם עץ הישראלי ענבר ישראלי ופרחים בנגב כדי ליצור בושם נפלא אקזוטיים במזרח התיכון העתיק של ממלכת ישראל