This is a cross post by Bob Pitt
John Webster is mistaken in suggesting that the waving of the national flag of Israel at English Defence League demonstrations indicates support for the EDL among the Jewish community (Letters, September 15).
In fact Jewish organisations such as the Board of Deputies and Community Security Trust have repeatedly condemned the EDL.
There are several reasons why the EDL display the Israeli flag at their protests.
First they admire Israel as a supposed bulwark against “militant Islam”.
Second they want to wind up Muslims who support the Palestinian cause.
Third, by publicly backing a Jewish state, they hope to deflect attention from the fascist connections of the EDL leadership.
But very few EDL activists are Jews.
The organisation’s much-hyped Jewish division enjoys minimal support within Anglo-Jewry and has no more than a handful of members.
When the EDL recently chose a new leader of the Jewish division they were reduced to appointing an individual based in Canada.