British Muslim Anti-Semitism
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MUSLIMDEFENDING EUROPE: ANTI-SEMITISM“GLOBAL BRITAIN” IN DEFENDINGCONTEMPORARYAND THE FUTURE EUROPE: “GLGREATOF OBALEUROPEAN BRITBRITAINAIN” ANDBYGEOPOLITICS DR RAKIB THE EHSAN FUTURE OFBY JAMES EUROPEAN ROGERS GEOPOLITICS BY JAMES ROGERS DEMOCRACYCY| F|REEDOM FREEDOM| HUMAN| HUMAN RIGHT RIGHTS S Report No. 2018/Report1 March No. 2018/20201 Published in 2020 by The Henry Jackson Society The Henry Jackson Society Millbank Tower 21-24 Millbank London SW1P 4QP Registered charity no. 1140489 Tel: +44 (0)20 7340 4520 www.henryjacksonsociety.org © The Henry Jackson Society, 2020. All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and are not necessarily indicative of those of The Henry Jackson Society or its Trustees. Title: “MUSLIM ANTI-SEMITISM IN CONTEMPORARY GREAT BRITAIN” Author: Dr Rakib Ehsan ISBN: 978-1-909035-56-0 £10.00 where sold Cover image: UK Flag image credit: TheDigitalArtist / Pete Linforth from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/illustrations/uk-flag-union-jack-uk-kingdom-1443709/); Star of David image credit: Tatutati from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/illustrations/star-of-david-star-david- religion-2981250/); and Minaret within Star and Crescent image credit: Ghising from CleanPNG (https://www.cleanpng.com/png-quran-symbols-of-islam-religious-symbol-islam-673896/). MUSLIMDEFENDING EUROPE: ANTI-SEMITISM“GLOBAL BRITAIN” IN DEFENDINGCONTEMPORARYAND THE FUTURE EUROPE: “GLGREATOF OBALEUROPEAN BRITBRITAINAIN” ANDBYGEOPOLITICS DR RAKIB THE EHSAN FUTURE OFBY JAMES EUROPEAN ROGERS GEOPOLITICS BY JAMES ROGERS DEMOCRADEMOCRACYCY| F|REEDOM FREEDOM| HUMAN| HUMAN RIGHT RIGHTS S Report No. 2018/Report1 March No. 2018/20201 MUSLIM ANTI-SEMITISM IN CONTEMPORARY GREAT BRITAIN About the Author Dr Rakib Ehsan is a Research Fellow in the Centre on Radicalisation & Terrorism. He holds a BA Politics & International Relations (First-Class Honours), MSc Democracy, Politics & Governance (Pass with Distinction), and a PhD in Political Science, all from Royal Holloway, University of London. His PhD investigated the effects of social integration for British ethnic minorities. Rakib has had research published by a number of UK-based think-tanks, including Runnymede Trust, Policy Exchange and Intergenerational Foundation, as well as the Mackenzie Institute, an independent security think-tank based in Toronto, Canada. He has spoken at parliamentary events and academic conferences on the ideological motivations driving the growth of far- right extremism. Acknowledgments I would like to express my thanks to all those who made this HJS report possible. This includes Professor Eric Kaufmann (Birkbeck, University of London), who was involved in the external peer review process. I would also like to thank HJS’s Director of the Centre on Radicalisation & Terrorism (CRT) Nikita Malik for her part in the internal peer review process, and Dr Andrew Foxall (HJS’s Director of Research), who was heavily involved in the report’s development. Special thanks must also be given to HJS intern Paddy Hannam, who provided invaluable research assistance. And finally, I owe a debt of gratitude to my immediate family. They always show a great interest in my work, and their love, support, and encouragement, is always appreciated. The Centre on Radicalisation and Terrorism (CRT) is unique in addressing violent and non-violent extremism. By coupling high-quality, in-depth research with targeted and impactful policy recommendations, we aim to combat the threat of radicalisation and terrorism in our society. The Henry Jackson Society is a think-tank and policy-shaping force that fights for the principles and alliances that keep societies free, working across borders and party lines to combat extremism, advance democracy and human rights, and make a stand in an increasingly uncertain world. The Henry Jackson Society is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under company number 0765741 and a charity registered in England and Wales under registered charity number 1140489. HJS is a 501(c)(3) organisation in the United States EIN 46-1190785. For more information, please see www.henryjacksonsociety.org. 2 MUSLIM ANTI-SEMITISM IN CONTEMPORARY GREAT BRITAIN Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction .................................................................................................6 2. Literature Review and Theoretical Motivations ..................................... 8 2.1. Muslim Anti-Semitism in Perspective ........................................................ 8 2.2. The Effects of Social Integration .............................................................. 10 2.3. The Effects of Education ............................................................................ 10 2.4. Effects of Mosque Attendance ...................................................................11 3. Survey Analysis Findings ......................................................................... 14 3.1. Group Perceptions .........................................................................................14 3.2. Country Perceptions ....................................................................................23 3.3. Perceptions of Jewish Global Control ....................................................24 4. Survey Findings: Advanced Analysis ......................................................31 5. Conclusion .................................................................................................35 3 The soUTh China sea: Why iT maTTeRs To “gLoBaL BRiTain” MUSLIM ANTI-SEMITISM IN CONTEMPORARY GREAT BRITAIN About Us DEMOCRACY | FREEDOM | HUMAN RIGHTS About The Henry Jackson Society The HenryHenry Jackson Jackson Society Society is a isthink-tank a think-tank and policy-shaping and policy-shaping force that force fights that for fights the principlesfor the principlesand alliances and which alliances keep which societies keep free,societies working free, acrossworking borders across andborders party and lines party to combatlines to combatextremism, extremism, advance advancedemocracy democracy and real humanand real rights, human and rights, make aand stand make in ana standincreasingly in an increasinglyuncertain world. uncertain world. About The CentreAsia Studies on Social Centre & Political Risk The CentreAsia Studies on Social Centre & Politicalattempts Risk to (CSPR)provide is an a in-depthcitizen-focused, understanding international of the researchstructural centre, shifts, regionalwhich seeks complexities to identify, and diagnose historic tensions and propose that exist solutions alongside to threats the tremendous to governance economic in liberal and socialWestern growth democracies. that traditionally its fundamental characterise purpose the “rise is toof underscoreasia”. 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About the Global Britain Programme TheAbout Global The Britain Centre Programme on Radicalisationis a research programme & Terrorism within the henry Jackson society that aims to educate the public on the need for an open, confident and expansive British Thegeostrategic Centre on policyRadicalisation in the twenty-firstand Terrorism century, (CRT) is drawing unique in off addressing the United violent Kingdom’s and non-violent unique strengthsextremism. not By only coupling as an advocate high-quality, for liberalism in-depth andresearch national with democracy, targeted butand also impactful as a custodian policy recommendations,of both the european we andaim internationalto combat the orders. threat of radicalisation and terrorism in our society. 28 4 MUSLIM ANTI-SEMITISM IN CONTEMPORARY GREAT BRITAIN Executive Summary In late 2019, the Henry Jackson Society commissioned polling organisation Savanta ComRes to undertake a survey involving a weighted sample of 750 British Muslims. Respondents were asked about their perspectives on a number of topics. These included: other faith groups; prominent geopolitical players; and the perceived level of Jewish global control. This represents one of the most systematic and comprehensive surveys into the socio-political attitudes – both domestic and international – of British Muslims. According to the study: l When compared with their perception of other faith groups, British Muslims have the least favourable attitude towards Jewish people. l The only people viewed less favourably by British Muslims than Jewish people are those belonging to no religious group (atheists/non-believers). l British Muslims who are more socially integrated through their friendship groups, have a more favourable view of both Jews and the State of Israel. These are a number of observations