UK communities divided over violence

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As the violence continues in Gaza and Israel, two BBC correspondents talk to members of the UK's Jewish and Muslim communities about how the fighting is affecting them.

BY NICK RAVENSCROFT, BBC NEWS, MANCHESTER

The Jewish community in Manchester is more than 20,000 strong, and there is no single Jewish voice here.

Not all Jews are uncritical of the Israeli government's actions normally. But at times of conflict, like now, any misgivings tend to be put aside and people express solidarity.

Simon Lader, 34, says Jews here feel very close to what's happening in Israel despite the distance. "It's just a sovereign nation protecting defenceless civilians," he says.

Hadassah Fidler and Joshua Rowe from Manchester's Jewish community reflect on the Gaza conflict

"If there was a resurgence of the IRA and they started bombing London, you could be sure the British army would do what it takes."

He is worried about the effect on community relations here.

"British Jews may be unfairly targeted because of the actions of Israel in the way some British Muslims were unfairly attacked after 9/11."

Hadassah Fidler, who has just had her third child, says watching the news is painful.

"You feel awful. Lots of innocent Palestinians are caught up."

But she believes Israel felt it had to act. "The rocket attacks have been going on for years."

As to the proportionality of Israel's military response, she says: "Proportionality is an issue, but Hamas only needs to take one small step to end this."

The difference in numbers of casualties has led to much criticism of Israel's tactics. But according to businessman Joshua Rowe, who is involved in Israeli charities here, that is a red herring.

"It so happens that Hamas' rockets are not precise," he says. "But their aim is still to kill civilians. Had they been more successful they'd have killed thousands." BY FIONA TROTT, BBC NEWS, BIRMINGHAM

When you walk around the Bordesley centre in Birmingham, you can see Muslim students working hard at their computers or making notes in the library. They are studying for their GCSEs, but for some of them exams are the last thing on their minds.

They have relatives in Gaza City, and one student's grandmother died there just 24 hours ago.

Another woman who came to the centre on Friday was Nily Abuarqab. She moved to Solihull from Ramallah and still has a sister in Gaza who she has not been able to contact for about a week.

Chris Khamis of West Midlands Solidarity Campaign says the UN resolution is 'too little too late'

Nily's four-year-old nephew is so traumatised by what is happening around him that he has stopped talking.

"When I last spoke to my sister on the phone, I could hear airstrikes in the background," she told us. "She was crying and could hardly speak. The whole family is traumatised."

For Nily and some of the students here, the UN resolution is too little, too late.

They believe a ceasefire is a long way off and one Palestinian has described it as "a fight between two children - if you're trying to break it up, you don't pick on the small one who's being bullied". But that is what is happening to the Palestinians, he says.

On Thursday night a special service was held at the Singer's Hills synagogue about four miles away in Birmingham city centre.

It was an opportunity for people from all different faiths to come together and pray for those caught up in the conflict.

On Friday evening a rally is due to be held in the city's Victoria Square to call for an immediate end to the violence.