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The rising far-right, growing increasingly mainstream, is intent on pitting Muslim against Jew.

But familiarise yourself with the Jewish Voice for Labour, the UK Jewish Coalition, Jewish Voice for Peace, Jews for Justice, Jewish Network for Palestine, and many other grassroots organisations, and you will find that really isn’t so.

Perhaps we could say right-wing Muslims are being pitted against right-wing Jews by right-wing politicians trying to appeal to right-wing voters by playing on their deepest fears and prejudices.

But for many on the left, the constant refrain about antisemitism and intimidation runs hollow. Particularly as many of those being purged from their political parties and from public life are themselves Jewish.

Indeed, to many of them, the rhetoric now deployed both by politicians and media commentators sounds exactly like the antisemitic slurs which preceded Europe’s darkest days.

Contrary to the representations of far-right demagogues, Muslims and Jews are not caught in an eternal battle of enmity.

While at times there has been conflict between different groups of people, Muslims and Jews included, those are not universal battles applicable to all people, at all time.

On the contrary, the holy book of the Muslims has this clear recognition:

“And among the people of Moses is a community which guides by truth and by it establishes justice.”

Quran 7:159

Muslims can be both good and bad. The same applies to Jews, and of course to every people on earth. What unites us all is our humanity.

The conflict in the middle east is primarily political in nature, and a relatively recent phenomenon in the annals of history.

Many Jewish people still recall with fondness happier times of coexistence, as reported by grandparents and family tradition, living amongst Muslims prior to the age of nationalism.

Recall that guest of ours: the Turkish-speaking chap whose Sephardic Jewish parents had lived in Istanbul until the 1970s, whose ancestors had sought refuge in Ottoman lands five hundred years earlier.

Are we at loggerheads? If so, why did they join us for iftar one evening five years ago, to break fast with us? Did we end the evening wrestling over kofta, or did we rather treat each other with worthy respect?

No, we’re not engaged in a religious battle, Muslim against Jew. There is a political battle reawakened in the middle east, fought over claims to land, worsened by injustice, brutality and rampant hypocrisy.

A conflict, unfortunately, mostly founded not on ancient hatreds, but on the political choices of colonial powers double-dealing with different groups in pursuit of their own interests. A tragic reality, not much different from today.

The Jewish people are not our enemy. Our enemies are only the unjust aggressors, whoever they may be, on whichever side. As for those who incline to peace: we stand with them, absolutely.