Kasim Kaz Hafeez in JerusalemKasim Kaz Hafeez, a British Muslim of Pakistani origin, spoke out against Muslim antisemitism at the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism International Conference in Jerusalem, which was organized by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs, in order to show his support for Israel.
Hafeez spoke about his “experience growing up around antisemitic messages within the Muslim community in Europe,” how “the messages affected and impacted” him, and “how the British university campus transformed” him into an antiSemite, until he ‘saw the light’.
He discussed how he came out of it. “The main emphasis was looking at antisemitism and the ways to combat it,” Hafeez explained. “I gave examples of extremist videos and DVDs and how they teach that it is a duty to kill the Jews.” He also spoke about “the link between antisemitism and anti-Zionism and how this delegitimization of Israel, negating Israel’s right to exist, is a key component of Muslim antisemitism.”
As a Pakistani Muslim, Hafeez finds it very interesting that many Pakistani Muslims hold antisemitic views, given the fact that most have never even met a Jewish person and have no personal experiences related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He believes that the main explanation for why Muslims from countries like Pakistan have become so antisemitic is because of the propaganda disseminating throughout the Muslim world as well as the rise of radical Islam. Jamaat Al Islami, the Muslim Brotherhood of Asia, for example, teaches antisemitism to the masses of Pakistan, preaching that the Jews are responsible for all of the worlds’ problems and that it is good to kill them.
He sincerely hopes that other Muslims will understand why it was important for him to come to Israel to speak at this special conference. Although he realistically expects a lot of hostility, Hafeez believes that he is moving in the right direction if even one or two Muslims come to understand the importance of coming to Israel to take a stand against antisemitism.
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