Palestinian Religious Minister: Jews Welcome in Palestine
Insists Secular State Will Welcome All Religions
Speaking today in Ramallah, Palestinian Religious Affairs Minister Mahmoud Habbash vowed that Palestine would be a secular state open to all religions, including Jewish people.
Last week, Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) ambassador Maen Erekat, in comments apparently intended to push for a “two state solution,” said he believed it was “in the best interest of the two people to be separated.”
Erekat’s comments were seized upon by Israeli officials as proof that the Palestinians were plotting against Jews in general, and that they could never be allowed independence. Ironically among the officials most keen to push this issue was Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who himself has suggested repeatedly that an independent Palestine should mean expelling large numbers of Muslims from Israel.
As is so often the case, the spin on the initially story will be much more broadly covered than the reality of Habbash’s comments, but the real test will be if Palestine is ever actually able to circumvent US and Israeli opposition to create a state.
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John_Muhammad
September 18th, 2011 at 8:38 pm
If Jews are not welcome in Palestine, it will be because of their behavior- not their religion. Observant Muslims respect the Jewish faith and it would be a sin to not allow them to reside in a nominally Muslim land simply because of their faith. If, on the other hand, those Jewish individuals- the settlers, for instance- create trouble and commit crimes Palestinian authorities have every right to prosecute them just as they would any other common criminals. Again, though, as criminals- not as Jews.
thedissenter
September 19th, 2011 at 6:53 am
Well, there goes Palestine. And it hasn't even been recognized yet. Oh, well, it was nice while it lasted.
thedissenter
September 19th, 2011 at 6:54 am
Actually, when the initial statement was made, they made it clear that it was settlers. The squatters are not welcomed on illegal settlements/stolen land. They've even made Poodle Abbas recant on that. But such are things when you're a puppet of the US of Israel.
John Ellis
September 19th, 2011 at 6:59 am
Religion being a conviction of conscience that tells us what we deserve, a conviction that religiously controls every aspect of our mind, character and personality, because of this a majority of people worship the four great religions, Islam, Christianity, Judaism and atheism. So, what is so unique about Islam that it has the capacity to establish peace and goodwill between the four great religions? Well, is not Islam the only religion that does not claim to be the one and only true religion?
The Western world, bless their darling hearts, but one excuse do they have for calling Islam a terrorist religion. The terrorizing thought that Islam will not allow you to steal from those of the Muslim faith. Nothing personal you understand, nothing irreversible if you just undue the damage. But step in harm’s way you surely do by enriching yourself upon the misery of a Muslim, for a righteous indignation kicks in when you steal oil at a fraction of its value, steal labor for sweatshop wages.
John Ellis
September 19th, 2011 at 7:16 am
Zionism is a religion based on the Old Testament, which declares that only the Old Testament prophets were inspired by God — a religion most dogmatic.
Whereas, Islam is a religion based on the Quran, which declares that the writings of Moses and the writings of Christ, in essence all the fundamental principles of Judaism and Christianity, were inspired by God — a most liberal and progressive religion.
So, will the real religious fanatics, prone to be terrorists, please stand up?
Hymie Horowitz
September 19th, 2011 at 10:25 am
That's not what PLO Ambassaodr Maen Areikat said.
With a name like "Ditz" maybe you were a ditz and forgot about that.
Daivd
September 19th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
All religion is BS. Furthermore there is no mention of Zionism isn any holy scripture. It was invented by Theodor Herzl in 1897 as a nationalisitc basis for Judaism. The problem being is that Judaism and Zionism have virtually nothing in common.