Rabbi: Don't Ban Gaza Protests Attack After Antisemitic Attack

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:00]Jewish communities across Britain are in a state of shock after a horrific attack uh yesterday in Gold's Green where two Jewish British citizens were attacked by a knife wielding attacker. Um this has caused as I've said a huge amount of of fear of trauma um all over the country.

[00:00:22]That's also been followed by politicians now calling for a renewed clampdown on protests in solidarity with Palestinians against the genocide in Gaza and so on.

[00:00:33]Um and Zach Palansky who is the only Jewish party leader, the leader of the Green Party of included Wales, has come under attack um for his position on on Palestine in the aftermath of all of this. Now I'm I'm really delighted to be joined by uh Hershel Glock who is a hugely respected uh rabbi. In fact, lots of people have asked me to get in touch with him previously. Uh president of the Shamran in Northeast London, also uh chairman and founder of the Muslim Jewish forum.

[00:01:04]He was rewarded an OBBE for his services for interfaith understanding over a decade ago. Um it's great to see you.

[00:01:11]How you doing?

[00:01:12]>> Thank you. Thank you for having me on.

[00:01:14]It's a really it's an honor and a pleasure to be here with you.

[00:01:18]>> Well, right back at you in spades. I just want to start by saying firstly solidarity. This is a a horrific time for Jewish people across the country.

[00:01:28]Can you just tell me just before we talk about those wider issues, just tell just tell me, you know, about the feelings I guess that this is this horrible attack has conjured up.

[00:01:39]>> This hasn't happened in a vacuum. This comes as a in a continuum of various attacks against the Jewish community.

[00:01:48]The Jewish community as we know is a very traumatized community.

[00:01:54]And when events like this take place, this elicits the memories of trauma to a much greater and deeper degree. So therefore, it cannot be seen in isolation.

[00:02:12]It has to be seen within context of the Holocaust, of Jewish history. I know there are those who say, "Oh, the Holocaust happened a long time ago." No.

[00:02:22]My mother lost over 100 members of her family during the Holocaust, including her parents who were young people.

[00:02:35]and she was traumatized till her dying day in June 2009 from these events. So therefore the Holocaust isn't something which is in the past. I mean there's a Indian saying that trauma lasts for seven generations >> and here we're still in the first generation. There's still people who s in my street who were in Awitz who suffered. So therefore the therefore I find it very difficult to understand that there are people who don't appreciate the depth of feeling that still exists from the horrors of the Holocaust >> and as you I mean of course within living memory and it's worth just always emphasizing that it remains within living memory and obviously as you say at the current moment we've seen a space of anti attacks including of course on synagogues.

[00:03:36]Now we've seen now the for example the independent uh so-called advisor on counterterror legislation the government's adviser on counterterror legislation has said um that there should be a moratorium on protests um in support of Palestinians and support of Palestine that's been backed by various politicians. The government's not ruling out a further clampdown on those protests. What's your response to that? I find this very difficult to understand what is the connection between between the protests and the person who tried to kill two Jews yesterday.

[00:04:13]There's no logical connection at all.

[00:04:16]It's a total leap of faith and therefore it is very disturbing that politicians are using Jewish suffering as a weaponized lever for their own pet projects and this is out of order.

[00:04:40]The right to protest, the right to of expression are very fundamental rights in Britain and for humanity. In Judaism, a person is called someone who speaks, someone who communicates.

[00:04:58]And if we deny people the right to communicate, we are denying them their very humanity. So therefore, I find it very very disturbing that people are weaponizing Jews and weaponizing Jewish suffering to deny people their very basic human rights.

[00:05:22]Um, I mean, I suppose it kind of begs a question really, which is why would banning protests in support of Palestinians stop violent anti-semitism?

[00:05:34]Just just I'm just trying to work out the mechanics of it. I mean, also it's obviously worth emphasizing thousands of British Jews have marched on these protests. They're part of those protests. I mean the amount of British Jews that march on the protest is pro rata more than any other community. So therefore by banning by wishing to ban the protest that in itself seems to be an anti-semitic attack on the Jewish community in the UK.

[00:06:05]>> There must probably pour out of more Jews who march than Muslims that march.

[00:06:10]So therefore this seems to be a very serious anti-semitic own goal by those who are putting this forward.

[00:06:22]A politician who's come under attack in the aftermath of this horrific attack is Zach Palansky who is of course the only Jewish party leader. In fact, he's only the fifth in history um to lead to to lead a major political party. Um and that's because of his position on Palestine. If I'm if I'm just going to be brutally honest, I'm not I'm not making any logical lumps there. Jumps there. What he said about Israel and Palestine and uh he's come to attack from uh Labor and Conservative and reform politicians. What What do you make of that? the attack. I mean, he's I should just say quickly, he's issued a statement today. Um, and in that statement, he says, "Jewish communities woke up this morning feeling incredibly scared after yet another odious anti-semitic attack. This is a time for politicians to work together to protect Jewish people, but some party leaders are instead using this moment to make political attacks. I am the only Jewish leader of a major political party, and I suffer anti-semitic abuse every single day. for other politicians to use anti-semitism as a political uh football especially after these horrific attacks is utterly appalling should be beneath them. And he also uh says that to oppose any um response to the abhorent attacks that curtails our civil liberties uh for a government to seek to use the pain of the Jewish community to restrict our right to peaceful protest would be a dangerous error. I mean echoing what you just said there really. What do you make of that? the way he's the fact that he the fact that he's coming under attack from other politicians.

[00:07:55]I mean again they seem to be using a very important and sensitive issue like anti-semitism to attack Jews to attack Zach Palanski.

[00:08:12]Zach Palanski is a caring, sensitive Jewish Britain and he's not afraid of being Jewish.

[00:08:24]He's proud of being Jewish. He even changed his name to Polanski to to the original name of his family in order to express his pride in his Jewish heritage.

[00:08:39]And for politicians to behave in this manner is out of touch with any sensitivity, with any decency, without any constructive engagement with a Jewish politician. I mean, this is just beyond the pale that using anti-semitism to score cheap political points.

[00:09:19]And that this should be beyond what any British politician does.

[00:09:29]There should be a total self-imposed ban on using anti-semitism against Jews.

[00:09:42]>> The final question I wanted to put to you was about Nigel Farage. He's the leader of the Hardright Reform Party. He went >> I wasn't aware.

[00:09:50]>> Yeah. Just to remind everyone of the of that wonderful fact. Um but he of course um sorry he went to Goldish Green today um to condemn anti-semitism. Um now for those watching who don't know um Niger has been accused of 34 of his former fellow pupils of uh at school when he was I mean his late teens I think it's worth worth emphasizing of extreme anti-semitism and anti-semitic behavior.

[00:10:22]What do you make? What do you make of that?

[00:10:25]>> Very, very bizarre. Here's a man who many people, various people have testified that he expressed admiration for Hitler, that he made fascist statements supporting what Hitler did, including the gassing of Jews.

[00:10:51]And here by the same people who are attacking Zack Palanski, he is being held up as a hero.

[00:10:59]A topsyturvy world that you support the fascist and you criticize and abuse the Jew.

[00:11:13]I'm sure Nigel Faraj is very touched by this that the Jews are supporting the fascist and abusing the Jew. He's brought he's brought these idiotic Jews on board. But as a proud Jew, as a Jew whose father and mother suffered from fascism and fought against fascism. My father was one of the British troops who liberated Bang and Belgian concentration camp and then stayed in B and Belgian despite the health risks in order to help rehabilitate the survivors.

[00:11:50]I am a Jew who support Jews, who loves Jews, who feels that Jews should be celebrated, not abused. And people like Nigel Farage, who has a history of not just not just being a fascist, but of celebrating fascism.

[00:12:12]any Jew who supports him should be ashamed of this behavior.

[00:12:20]>> Really, really powerful words. Your moral clarity all the way through, I think, really shines through. Um, everyone, I think, can can hear just why you're so immensely respected. Um, not least because of your work of trying to bring communities together. um emphasizing of course the the in Britain today that Jews and Muslims alike suffer racism and hatred and bigotry and therefore should stand together um and that work is utterly heroic and just so necessary in this current hideous moment. For those watching, please like and >> appreciate it. Thanks to no one.

[00:12:57]>> No, that's very sweet of you. For those watching, share the video. Press like and subscribe. But above all else, leave comments showing your appreciation to our wonderful.

[00:13:05]>> Much appreciated. Thank you very much.

[00:13:07]Best wishes to you all. Thank you.