Rabbi warns of extremist hatred

Muslim extremists are recreating the atmosphere of anti-Jewish hatred that led to the deaths of millions in the Holocaust, the Chief Rabbi warned today.

According to today's Jewish Chronicle, Dr Sacks accused radical Muslims of adopting " the same demonisation, the same evil fantasies; as if humanity had learned nothing from the past".

He told a United Synagogue conference it was as if part of the world had regressed to the "worst excesses of the Middle Ages, with a mere change of names", adding: "Delete ' Christianity', insert 'Islam'. Delete the word 'crusade', insert the word 'jihad'."

At the same time it has emerged that senior Jewish leaders did not sign a high-profile pledge supporting religious tolerance towards British Muslims.

While they supported the ideals behind Islam Awareness Week, which ends today, they wanted further information about those involved. Many in the Jewish community have concerns about the Islamic Society of Britain - the group spearheading the initiative.

Last year the society distributed a leaflet accusing Israel of terrorism and describing Zionists as "savages".

The reluctance to sign the pledge is embarrassing for the Prime Minister, who was one of the first signatories.