The mufti of Palestine, Sheikh Ikrema Sabri, has refused to meet with a prominent Jewish rabbi “notorious for his racist remarks against Muslims,” according to the official Iranian news agency (IRNA).
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the ultra-orthodox Jewish political party, Shas, reportedly invited Sabri to attend a meeting of religious leaders representing Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
A Palestinian daily, Al Ayyam, on Monday quoted Sabri as saying that he refused to meet with the rabbi, who has made numerous racist statement about Arabs and Muslims.
Sabri also argued that it was inappropriate to meet with Israeli religious leaders “at a time when the Israeli occupation army is carrying out a nefarious rampage of murder and terror against Palestinian population centers.”
Sabri said Islam respected Judaism as a religion, as it recognizes all the prophets and messengers of God.
He added, however, that it was unacceptable that the followers of one religion allow themselves to persecute and oppress the followers of another religion in the name of God.
"Let them take their boots off our chests first, and then we can talk. No meaningful talk can take place between the oppressed and the oppressor until the oppression is over," stressed the mufti.
Over 700 Palestinians and more than 170 Israelis have been killed in the latest uprising against 34 years of Israeli military occupation of Palestinian land conquered in 1967 – Albawaba.com
