Sufyan Ismail is the CEO of MEND, the Islamist political group. MEND says it “helps to empower and encourage British Muslims within local communities to be more actively involved in British media and politics”.
Bashing Israel and its British supporters again and again is a very important part of its mission.
Mind how MEND does that.
Here you can see the mask slip from Mr Ismail. In a talk last October at a mosque in Bolton, this is how he recounts the vote in Parliament on recognising Palestine as a state:
The other night in Parliament, for the first time in British history, first time in 300 years of the Israeli lobby’s presence in the United Kingdom, first time in British history they lost a vote in Parliament. Do you know this? And the Muslim community didn’t just beat the Israeli lobby, we battered them by 274 votes to 12.
300 years? Er, the very idea of modern Zionism did not exist back then. He means “battering Jews” in politics.
Or perhaps it was an odd “misstatement”? Just maybe? Oh no, of course not. Later in the talk he does it again.
Like I said to you, for the first time in 300 years the Israeli lobby lost a vote in Parliament.
…
This is how the Israeli lobby was battered in Parliament.
In this talk alone Israel, Jews and “Zionists” come up a dozen more times. The aim is to stir up resentment and anger.
This makes the speakers MEND is about to parade around the country in several events perfect partners, for they love a spot of “battering”.
Manchester preacher Abu Eesa Niamatullah demonises Israelis not as citizens of the modern country but as the evil prophet killing Jews of yore, those Allah warns against.
Birmingham preacher Zahir Mahmood is a feverish Hamas fan and keen on Israelis-are-Nazis Holocaust abuse.
Baroness Warsi and Owen Jones will also take part in the upcoming MEND tour.
Both make grave statements about the importance of opposing antisemitism.
Seeing them team up with Sufyan “300 year old Israeli lobby” Ismail leaves one to reach for a barrel of salt.
Baroness Warsi and Labour MP Andy Slaughter with Sufyan Ismail at the Parliamentary launch of MEND’s Muslim Manifesto”
