The Inter Religion Community (IFN) rejected the criticism The Telegraph about his alleged silence on the October 7 Hamas terror assault on Israel and his connection to the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).
The paper stories that Communities Secretary Michael Gove wrote to the charity that it “intends to finish funding as MCB is one among its members.
Till final 12 months, the federal government banned official contact with the group after the deputy secretary-general signed the Istanbul Declaration calling for violence towards Israel.
The IFN has since taken a “elementary choice to shut the organisation”, with a remaining choice as a consequence of be confirmed on February 22 except it receives £155,000 in authorities funding.
In a press release, IFN defended its continued work with MCB, saying it “represents a big variety of Muslims within the UK with whom IFN seeks to advertise good interfaith relations”.
“It’s not a proscribed physique and the IFN is just not conscious of any terrorism-supporting insurance policies or actions of the MCB,” it stated.
On its alleged “non-condemnation of Hamas”, the IFN stated the Charity Fee's pointers and its position as an interfaith group meant it “can not make a easy assertion of this nature”.
“The IFN has a long-standing assertion coverage that excludes direct touch upon abroad occasions. Current authorized recommendation has confirmed the appropriateness of this coverage,” it stated.
Madeleine Pennington, head of analysis on the Theos suppose tank, criticized the federal government's choice, saying the “misguided” choice to withdraw IFN funding “couldn't have come at a worse time”.
“The appalling violence in Israel and Gaza has created a very troublesome interval for group relations within the UK. The ultimate months of 2023 have seen an increase in each Islamophobia and anti-Semitism throughout the nation.”
“On this context, alternatives to unite completely different religion communities in moments of shared anger and grief have offered beacons of solidarity and hope,” she stated.
