Scottish Jews tell Holyrood they back measures to combat Islamophobia

The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities has told the Scottish Parliament that it supports measures to combat Islamophobia in Scotland.

It came in a written submission to the Public Inquiry into Islamophobia and cemented the organisation’s previous commitments.

In November 2018, SCoJeC signed a joint agreement with the Muslim Council of Scotland declaring that we “stand together determined to end the hatred and extremism that affects us all”, and expressing a commitment to tackle Islamophobia and antisemitism in Scotland.

In its submission posted last week, the representative body warned that “beyond racism, religious hatred, and discrimination, there is a further barrier in the form of ‘othering’, which is part of our Jewish experience in common with the Muslim community”.

It said: “This is more insidious than hate; it implies social distance, and leads to estrangement and alienation, and makes both Muslims and Jews liable to be accused of divided loyalties.

“The Scottish Government should instead promote an inclusive and unifying narrative that respects what the former Chief Rabbi called ‘the dignity of difference’.”