‘Islamophobic’ deputy suspended for six years by the Board

The Board of Deputies has slapped a six-year suspension on an Islamophobic deputy who described Muslims as “the vilest of animals”.

Roslyn Pine, the deputy for Finchley United Synagogue, was told she was suspended for the next two triennials after the Board’s constitution committee found that she had brought the organisation into disrepute.

Pine, whose Twitter account has recently been made private, called Arabs “so evil” and later said that “killing us… is an Islamic fundamental”.

The Board’s committee was appalled: “What Mrs Pine is saying is that the killing of Jews and the destruction of Israel is fundamental to the Islamic religion, and so implying condemnation of all Muslims.”

Pine has been censured before. Three years ago she said it was a pity that the pro-Palestinian female Swedish foreign minister was “too old to be raped”. She has also called fellow deputies “kapos”.

Speaking to Jewish News in May, Pine flatly denied claims made by a fellow deputy that she was the author of anti-Muslim Twitter account @toscasbacci.

At the hearing on Wednesday, Pine defended herself, saying: “It’s true I have an issue with Muslims and Arabs who want to kill us and destroy Israel… I would expect that every deputy would hold that view.

Pine had stood as a vice-presidential candidate in the Board’s recent elections, and was understood to have wanted representation on the Board’s International Division.

Last month new Board president Marie van der Zyl said: “I will not tolerate any anti-Muslim hatred whatsoever.”