Author and commentator Douglas Murray, a strong public advocate of Israel, addressed a packed audience at Hendon United Synagogue on Monday. The 27-year-old was invited to speak by a congregant who had seen him on the BBC’s Question Time in July where he denounced Hamas and defended Israel amid loud boos from the audience. He was joined on Monday by Jeremy Newmark, chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council.
In response to Mr Newmark’s comments on the Jewish community being aware that Islamophobia also exists, Mr Murray called Islamophobia “a myth”. “A phobia is something irrational, but there’s a very rational fear in being scared of Islam today and wanting to act against it. Islam is not a race, it’s an ideology. Its not bad to dislike someone for their ideology. That is not racism,” he maintained.