Freedom of speech you say? Do you people even know what the expression meant when it was invented?
Just for the record, Muslims respect Holy Jesus Christ as much as our beloved prophet Mohammed(PBUH), they both where prophets sent by God during there respected times and there designation is equal.

Zubair Mohammed, Leeds,

Me being a muslim I m being told that I m an anti-Semitic even though I am not, but I m being told over and over again so that, what? Till I become one?Meanwhile non-muslims hear the speech and believe- muslims ARE anti-semitic. Where r we getting with this? oh I have the ans, its Freedom of speech!

Zubair Mohammed, Leeds,

@ a.rashid, Leeds, UK

"Frankly such terminology is totally alien to all muslims."
"However this does not mean constant humiliation of a weak and vulnerable section of the community."

I am glad that there is at least one person here who got i all right. Cry victimization and point your finger at all those who dare to raise a critical question. But it is in the nature of the hated that the feeling of being hated is there long before anything like hatred has ever been experienced. Your're ludicrously wrong. The Mullah-regime of Iran which officially denies the Holocaust is just one example that demonstrates how wide-spread anti-Semitism is in Islamic societies. This lecture was not intended to defame Islam but to address a problem that is adherent to the views of many muslims around the world. One has to take criticism every once in a while without crying, even as a muslim. That's part of living in a democracy. If you don't like it try Iran, won't happen there.

Peter Scholl-Latour, London,

Mr. Küntzel is in Germany not known as a scholar at all, only as a publicist. He is a part of a neocon-Jewish propaganda network that seems to invite him all around the world. I have no problem with him delivering speeches for enthusiastic jewish students who need a "feindbild". But I'm deeply troubled that an university (?) invited him for a "lecture".

Rainer Möller, Krefeld, Germany

It does not appear that the lecture was anti-Semitic. On the contrary, it seems to suggest (correctly) that Hitler had a close connection with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, and both had the goal of eliminating Jews. This was the precursor of the Baath Party, the Muslim Brotherhood, etc.

What is lost on most liberal peace activists is that all of this happened BEFORE the existence of Israel, BEFORE the U.S. was involved in the ME and BEFORE WWII.

It is also a fact that Jews existed in the ME at least 1,000 years prior to tribes that called themselves Muslims. They have a right to be there...but they also have an obligation to treat Palestinians fairly and with dignity...

I don't think this University professor was preparing an anti-Jewish lecture. I think he was describing historical considerations.

I could be wrong, but that's how I read it.

sanjosemike

sanjosemike, San Jose, CA

Academia cannot and must not be held ransom by a negligible minority that does not “like” the analysis that was to be presented by this scholar. Western civilization is based on free speech, the freedom of thought and expression. We must not surrender our principles to a small minority of Muslims that have neither the intention to integrate into society nor adhere to the British constitution but rather impose an Islamic republic unto us.

While Great Britain has been one of the most multicultural societies in Europe, let us not make the same mistakes as Germany was silently subverted in the 1930s. Philosopher Hayek has warned to watch the small, incremental – often perceived as immaterial – changes in public sentiments. Their cumulative effects over two or three decades might become detrimental and irreversible. Freedom of speech must not be compromised by giving into a minority that would rather impose an Islamic republic unto us than to adhere our constitution.

Bernd D, London, UK

It's sad when people can't see the difference between incting hatred and freedom of Speech. If a guy can hold a slogan saying "Islam wicked and evil religion" (Nick Griffin) and get away with inciting hatred while a Muslim holds a banner "Bomb Bomb, Denmark" and get found guilty for inciting hatred, I don't think this country really does tend to favour the Muslims, as some of you think it does.

As for University of Leeds being held by the Leeds University Islamic Society (as Gemma Bradley says "I will not at all be surprised if we are all to wear veils in the university") that is utter hogwash. The Islamic Socitey at Leeds is vocal because it practices it's right, as does the Jewish Society and the CU (Christian Society) and all other Society's related to the University.

It's simple guys, Inciting Hatred should not be tolerated, especially in an institute where we have such bright young minds. The etiquettes of a true human being are found in you and no one else.

Hanzaq, Leeds, UK

Who is running Britain now? When Universities cancel lectures at the behest of a minority something is badly wrong.

You cannot deny major problems with sections of the Islamic world. Other immigrant groups have behaved quite differently. This has to be discussed at length, otherwise your problems will multiply. And Muslims if they wish to become truly part of British society have to adapt and face their own internal problems and attitudes not just cry victimization.

I think it might have been Australia which invented multiculturalism but it the UK it has gone out of control.

Peter Cohen, Melbourne, Australia

The organisers of this meeting failed to complete appropriate risk assessments for the safety of the people attending (despite being repeatedly asked to). They failed to put in place any stewards to assist those attending. Both of these requirements are standard to any meeting held in University facilities. The responsibility for cancellation of this lecture lies at the door of its organisers and no one else.

KJX, Leeds,

While I much appreciate that e.g. "The art of contemporary rug making" will be given its due till March 2007 by Leeds University’s Business School, canceling Matthias Küntzel's lecture on Islamic Anti-Semitism in the Middle East is nothing short of a shame. If the voiced protest by some of the university's Muslim students warrants security concerns, this should most certainly be addressed, though definitively not at the expense of academic freedom - canceling one of three events amounts to as much.

Btw: wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_Küntzel is a name that triggers umlaut related trouble, the laugh being on the loser any which way.

Istvan Dreher-Szabo, Berlin, Germany