DOHA: Noted Qatar-based Islamic scholar Dr Yousuf Al Qaradawi has justified his absence in the just-concluded Doha Interfaith Dialogue conference saying he boycotted the event due to the presence of Jewish delegates there.
“How can we have dialogue with people who are destroying the Al Aqsa mosque (in Jerusalem) and changing the landscape of the holy premises,” asked Al Qaradawi, while delivering his Friday sermon at Omar bin Khatab mosque. He reiterated that dialogue with Jews is not useful as long as they continue the killing and atrocities against the Palestinians.
“I had confirmed that I will not participate in a conference along with Jews and I can not shake hands with people who are killing innocents,” said Al Qaradawi.
He said he had been attending the Doha conference when the dialogue was held between Muslim and Christian delegates. “I was in the hospital when the dialogue started in 2003. My speech was telecast at the opening ceremony under instructions of the Emir. I attended the second and third sessions of the conference and addressed the inaugural session,” said Qardawi. “When the organisers announced in the third conference that they are going to invite Jews next year, I told them I was not going to attend in protest against the Jewish atrocities,” he added. The Peninsula
