By IRNA,
London : A renowned Orthodox Jewish community leader has criticized the British government for its decision to honor Israeli President Shimon Peres with a knighthood and honorary degree by the King’s College.
Rabbi Ahron Cohen, from Manchester, said it’s amazing how the UK can treat a president of an “illegal and immoral” regime in such a respectable way.
He told IRNA honoring Peres with a knighthood and offering him an honorary degree “is a hollow mockery of justice” by the British government.
“Supporting Israel is a hollow mockery of justice. How Britain and US can justify any form of support and honor to the president of such a rogue regime. It’s beyond understanding,” he said.
Rabbi Cohen, who is the European spokesman of Authentic Orthodox Jewish Opposition to Zionism, added that Peres has a long history of being involved in the crimes of the Zionist regime right from the start.
“And this is one of the amazing puzzling features of the modern day politics that Britain wants to honor a criminal person. I wonder how a country as UK or US turns a blind eye on history and they treat a chief of the Zionist regime which has not the right to exist,” he said.
Peres is coming to London on Monday to pay an official four-day visit for the first time since becoming president.
He is scheduled to receive an honorary title, a knighthood, from Queen Elisabeth II and an honorary doctorate from the King’s College.
The move by the British government has already raised criticisms by human rights groups which are organizing a demonstration against Peres during his speech on Tuesday night in Oxford University.
Rabbi Cohen said people who support the Zionist regime are in fact themselves Zionists and are behind honoring Peres.
This is the first time the UK government is honoring a foreign leader with a knighthood.
“The Zionist propaganda machine is very powerful. That wouldn’t be a surprise if we say they are pushing for such an honor,” Cohen said.
During his visit, Peres will be the first Israeli leader to address a joint session of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and deliver a speech at Oxford University.
“Shimon Peres has nothing to do with faith because he is representing an unjust, illegal, immoral and disrespectable regime. It doesn’t help to understanding among the faiths,” Rabbi Cohen said when asked about the recent interfaith conference in US organized by Saudi Arabia who invited Peres to the event.
“Saudi king is saying that there is no difference among religions.
But he forgets that Zionism has nothing to do with religion. The Zionist regime started illegitimately. I wonder how the West and even Saudi Arabia forget history. They forget the illegality and immorality and terrorism of the Zionist regime in the occupied lands of Palestine,” he said.
Rabbi Cohen is one of many Orthodox Jews organized in a group called Neturei Karta which, he says, completely sympathize with the cause of the Palestinians in their struggle against the Zionist regime.