British antisemitism

Several months ago, the UK Home Secretary issued a list of people to be barred from the United Kingdom because they stirred up hatred and violence. That consideration apparently does not apply to the the chief cleric of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Sheikh Abdul Rahman al Sudais, who has referred to Jews as "scum, rats, pigs and monkeys." He was invited to preach at the East London mosque in Whitechapel on August 4.

This decision is particularly striking when you compare it to a recently released report tabulating the sharp increase in antisemitic incidents and attacks in the UK in 2009, as compared with 2008. UK columnist Melanie Phillips describes the widening chasm between British Jewish leaders, who resolutely deny any deterioration, and ordinary British Jews. She includes a link to this article by Robin Shepherd, who offers his analysis as to why things have gotten so much worse.