After almost 19 months of silence, al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, a focal point for Muslim communities in North Kensington, has finally protested Israel’s genocide in Palestine. Alongside 39 other mosques and community organisations from across Britain, al Manaar has signed an open letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer labelling Israel’s actions “collective punishment” and “ethnic cleansing.”

In the letter the mosques say they are “profoundly concerned” by the UK’s “inconsistent” approach and its “continued material support to Israel”. 

We understand that al Manaar’s participation must have been approved by its six trustees, including Deputy Leader of Kensington & Chelsea Council, Kim Taylor-Smith and Leader of the opposition Labour Group, Councillor Kasim Ali. Taylor-Smith’s council has maintained a pro-Israel approach throughout the genocide, while Ali has led Kensington Labour’s complicity. 

Sudden shift

The previous silence of al Manaar had reflected of the omertà among civil society organisations regarding Israel’s epic crime. The language of the letter, with references to “months of starvation” and “decades of injustice and displacement,” shows that the signatories have been fully aware of the humanitarian crisis and the historical context but had chosen not to speak up. 

Publication of the open letter coincided with a shift in tone towards Israel from various elements of the British establishment. In quick succession several newspapers produced editorials decrying the silence over Israel’s crimes. In Parliament, Conservative MP Mark Pritchard renounced his Zionism, and the United States has distanced itself from Israel recently, negotiating directly with Hamas for the release of joint US-Israeli citizen, Edan Alexander. 

Kensington’s MP Joe Powell joined the trend with an email to constituents who had written to him about the genocide. The MP welcomed the British government’s suspension of trade negotiations with Israel and its sanctions on Israeli settlers. Powell also called for individual Israeli politicians to be sanctioned and for Britain to finally recognise Palestine as a state.

Powell told the 500* recipients of the email, which was shared with Urban Dandy that a prerequisite for peace is “the immediate release of all the hostages in Gaza” but made no reference to the thousands of Palestinians arbitrarily detained, tortured, raped and murdered in Israeli prisons. Many so-called Israeli “hostages” like Edan Alexander are actually mis-labelled prisoners of war captured while enforcing military occupation and theft of Palestinian land. 

Timing 

We can presume that the rhetorical shift emanating from various corners of the British establishment (mosques-media-politicians) is being coordinated, or at least encouraged, by the British state. It could signal a growing realisation that famine and genocide make for bad optics that could jeopardise the future of Britain’s “little loyal Jewish Ulster.” The new critical tone could also be preparation for the sacrifice of Netanyahu who they could portray as the only obstacle to peace in an attempt to salvage the Zionist project.

On 20th May, Foreign Secretary David Lammy made his contribution, calling Israel’s siege of Gaza “monstrous”. That same day, Joe Powell emailed his constituents declaring his support for a ceasefire. The following day, the Muslim community organisations published their open letter. They signed off by saying they “remain hopeful” that the Starmer government will act on their concerns and end the catastrophe in Gaza.

But it was already too late. On 20th May, a few hours after Lammy’s lament and Powell’s email, another British spy plane had flown over Gaza to collect intelligence to enable Israel to intensify its genocidal campaign.   

Representing?

Sections of the media, civil society and politicians finally woke up. But even as they found their voices, the British government was enabling Israel to murder hundreds of Palestinians. Will the newly awakened stay awake, or will they be lulled back to sleep with the soporific lullabies of the establishment with its funding, royal patronages, respectability….which all come at the cost of staying quiet on Zionism?   

by Tom Charles

@tomhcharles @UrbandandyLDN

The open letter to the PM: UK_Mosques_Institutions_Open_Gaza_Letter_PM_21_May_250522_130918

*Joe Powell MP’s office sent the email without blind copying the recipients, inadvertantly revealing that at least 500 residents had been in touch over the genocide.