I would like to offer my support to the Jewish community of Leeds in this difficult time after the murder, rape, burning alive, defiling of dead women and kidnapping of innocent Israelis by Hamas terrorists after they invaded on October 7.

This revolting barbarism has no place on this earth in 2023.

I worked on two BBC Yorkshire documentaries over 40 years ago made by producer Allan Kassell, himself a Jew, telling the story of the plight of the Jews fleeing the pogroms in Russia in the 1880s who arrived on these shores at Hull - which they thought was New York!

People attending a vigil outside Downing Street, central London, for victims and hostages of Hamas attacks. PIC: Lucy North/PA Wire

Arriving without a penny they established their community in the City of Leeds and set about, with application and incredible hard work, to flourish and support their families after all their adversity - improving their education and running highly successful businesses.

Indeed, one of them - Michael Marks a refugee from Poland - was to become of national significance who set up a penny bazaar stall in Kirkstall open market and then opened his first Marks and Spencer store in 1884 - and the rest is history!

We do not want to see the problems of this Middle East crisis spilling onto our streets - it is totally unacceptable. The Jewish community in Leeds have always been peaceful and law abiding and they must be allowed to go about their lives freely without intimidation, threats or fear in this country.

We all want the bloodshed to end in Israel and Gaza and a new peace going forward for Israelis and Palestinians.

The Gaza crisis must not spill onto our streets - Yorkshire Post Letters