MCB Defends MPACUK

The revelations that MPACUK founder, Asghar Bukhari, gave money to Holocaust denier David Irving and encouraged others to do so too, has really caused a stir in Muslim groups; everyone is rushing to defend him. Just to remind you, he told Irving:

You may feel like you are on your own but rest assured many people are with you in your fight for the Truth.

He also offered to send a copy of a book written by Paul Findley who, Bukhari said, "has suffered like you in trying to expose certain falsehoods perpetrated by the Jews".

The context is not clear, but it certainly seems to be talking about a big lie spread by Jews and that heavily implies Holocaust denial. Anyway, Inayat Bunglawala from the MCB has written a letter, published on MPACUK's website, to defend Bukhari. It reads:

This story has mysteriously surfaced at this time in a clear attempt to try and discredit Asghar Bukhari and MPACUK. Asghar's donation of sixty pounds to David Irving over six years ago may be regarded as perhaps overly idealistic and indeed naive. However, it is disgraceful - though not unexpected, of course - that the usual suspects have tried to use this incident in an attempt to portray Asghar as an anti-semite. I know that Asghar is a staunch critic - and rightly so - of Zionism and the bloody and repressive policies of the Israeli government, but also that he has absolutely no truck whatsoever with anti-semitism or any other form of racial prejudice. I hope MPAC will not be deterred by this episode and continue to focus on encouraging British Muslims to play their full role in the mainstream of British society and not allow themselves to be marginalised through inaction and passivity.

Just two points to pick up, Inayat. What is special about "this time"? Is MPACUK having an election? The timing doesn't appear to be significant in any way; but then, any time that this was revealed would be a "clear attempt to discredit Bukhari".

Also, you may want to consider why being anti-Zionist is not also being anti-Semitic. It is one thing to oppose some particular tactics and laws of the Israeli government, but it is another to be anti-Zionist. Zionism is the idea of establishing a Jewish homeland. Anti-Zionism is the idea that Jews are not entitled to establish a homeland, even in principle. That is anti-Semitic in its purest form. Why should Palestinians have the right for a Palestinian state but Jews do not have the same right?

Please, Mr Bunglawala, try and explain how it is possible to deny Jews the right to a state of their own but still claim not to be anti-Semitic.