Press TV journalist: Mitzvah Day is ‘Zionist infiltration’ of Muslim community

A Press TV journalist who heads an Islamic news site in the UK, has accused Mitzvah Day of  ‘Zionist infiltration’ of the Muslim community,

Roshan Salih, who edits ‘Five Pillars’ and writes for the Iranian state broadcaster, attacked the day of Jewish-led social action as being “sponsored by a pro-Israel organisation”.

His remarks came after the two faith communities united to make more than 2,500 bowls of chicken soup for the homeless, in an initiative jointly held with the Jewish charity and Muslim Aid UK, at East London Mosque.

Salih said Israel supporters were “doing soft infiltration of Muslim communities”  in holding the cookathon, and urged Muslims to “have a zero tolerance policy against working with Zionists”, accusing them of “normalising” relations.

In a further tweet, he said: “I’m not saying all those who participated in Mitzvah Day are Zionists or Muslims collaborating with Zionists. I’m saying this event is sponsored by at least one pro Israel organisation & that soft, cultural, interfaith activities are a tactic Zionist orgs [sic] use”.

Salih was criticised by Simon Johnson, CEO of the Jewish Leadership Council, who said the Mitzvah Day event was “fulfilling the commandment to help those less fortunate & encourages others to do the same”, adding that ” thank you would have been just as effective.”

Meanwhile, Jewish actress Tracy Anne Oberman said: “Sharing soup recipes across communities is apolitical and opens debate and friendship.

“There is so much inter community work going on behind the scenes and we need to promote that. Not the differences”

Earlier in the year, Ken Livingstone sparked a fresh controversy after he appeared on a Press TV show hosted by Salih, which discussed: “Has the Holocaust been exploited to oppress others?”

Appearing on Iranian state channel Press TV’s UK YouTube channel, the host repeatedly made the claim that the Shoah has become ‘an industry’.