UK poll finds nearly half of UK Muslims endorse anti-Semitic conspiracy theories
Muslims who frequent their local mosques have warmer feelings toward Jews and Israel
More than 40 percent of British Muslims endorse or support anti-Semitic conspiracy theories in one way or another, The Times of Israel (TOI) reported on Wednesday.
Citing a study by the Henry Jackson Society, a trans-Atlantic foreign policy think tank based in London, the Times reported that some 44 percent of UK Muslims hold anti-Jewish views.
That number drops as much as 12 percentage points, however, if members of the UK Muslim community "are more integrated into British society." British Muslims who frequently attend their local mosque are less likely to hold anti-Semitic views and have a more positive disposition towards Israel.
The study found that 44 percent of UK Muslims surveyed agreed with the statement that British Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the United Kingdom. Just 13 percent of Muslims said British Jews are more loyal to the UK than Israel.
The Times reports that a separate survey shows that 24 percent of British society, in general, assesses that UK Jews are more loyal to Israel than Britain.
“For too long, conspiracy theories about Jews have been shared with impunity around the UK’s Muslim communities by those who seek to spread division,” the report’s author, Dr Rakib Ehsan, said in a press statement.
“Unfortunately, the evidence has shown this has had an effect — I’m sorry to say that too many within British Muslim communities have been willing to indulge in anti-Semitic conspiracies,” he said.
“When British Muslims such as myself have attempted to raise concerns over anti-Semitism within our communities, we have all too often been greeted with abuse by co-religionists,” added Ehsan.
According to TOI, 750 British Muslims were interviewed for the study and conducted by the Savanta-ComRes polling agency between November 25 and December 5, 2019.
The poll also found that 34 percent of British Muslims think Jews have too much control over the global banking system, while 33 percent also said that Jews have a disproportionate influence in politics.