Muslim ministers warn of Gaza backlash

The two most senior Muslim figures in the Government have warned about the impact of the Gaza crisis on Britain's Asian communities amid angry demands from some Labour MPs for Gordon Brown to ratchet up the diplomatic pressure on Israel to halt their military campaign.

Sadiq Khan, the Communities minister, and Shahid Malik, the Justice minister, took the unusual step of speaking out about concerns that British Muslims have about the crisis. The Commons also heard demands from Labour MPs for Britain to impose an arms embargo on Israel.

Mr Malik said many British Muslims were not aware of the Government's calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and warned that "the sense of grievance and injustice is both profoundly acute and obviously profoundly unhealthy". In a letter to his Dewsbury constituents he said he had been in "constant contact" with Mr Brown and David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary.

Both ministers made it clear they strongly supported Mr Brown's stance on Gaza. But Mr Malik said: "It's crucial we redouble our efforts to communicate with the public about UK Government actions if we are to dent the entrenched cynicism that exists, especially among British Muslims." In an email to his Tooting constituents, Mr Khan said the Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell had "assured me that the Foreign Office are fully aware of the strength of feeling".

However, Labour MPs called for the Government to take tough action against Israel. Peter Kilfoyle, the former defence minister, said: "Will he undertake to ensure that no arms go to Israel at the moment given that it is guilty, in many people's eyes, of state-sponsored terrorism."

Marsha Singh, the Labour MP for Bradford West, added: "Is it not time to expel the ambassador of Israel, is it not time we brought our ambassador back from Israel. Is it not time we called for international sanctions against Israel?"

Sir Gerald Kaufman, the veteran Labour former minister, accused Israeli leaders of war crimes. He told MPs: "Is it not an incontrovertible fact that Olmert, Livni and Barak are mass murderers or war criminals and they bring shame on the Jewish people."