A proposal for peace and tolerance by King Abdullah
Posted by Tina
After tiring of the “failed policy” blather it’s nice just to sit back and notice changes occurring on the horizon. Real progress can often be measured by noticing shifting attitudes and positions. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has made a proposal; one I think has a good chance of making a real difference in the Middle East…if indeed, he is sincere. Read the editorial,
A Saudi initiative to be encouraged posted at opinion.jpost.com
Heres the basic proposal and opinion:
On Monday, at a seminar on “Culture and the Respect of Religions” in Riyadh, Abdullah explained: “The idea is to ask representatives of all monotheistic religions to sit together with their brothers in faith and sincerity to all religions as we all believe in the same God.”
…It is significant that the king of a state that has for decades promoted an extreme and intolerant form of Islam might have decided to reverse course and combat the monster it helped create. ** Osama bin Laden came from Saudi Arabia, as did most of the 9/11 terrorists. This is not a coincidence. Saudi Arabia remains the seat of the Wahabi strain of Islam. The extreme intolerance of this strain has not only led to the glorification of mass murder, but to atrocities directed against other religions, such as the destruction of ancient Buddhist stone carvings in Afghanistan. ** An analysis released in February by MEMRI found that “in recent years, Saudi Arabia has been making intense efforts to fight both terrorism and its religious and ideological underpinnings. … Among the results of this comprehensive anti-terror campaign are the uncovering of several terrorist cells in the country; a government warning to Saudi youth to refrain from engaging in jihad outside the country; and fatwas and declarations by senior religious establishment clerics stating that engaging in jihad outside Saudi Arabia is a grave offense that does serious damage to Saudi Arabia and to the entire Muslim world.” ** A prominent Saudi cleric has rejected suicide bombings as un-Islamic, as have columnists in the Saudi media. The MEMRI paper also noted that Saudi authorities have called on preachers to stop cursing Jews and Christians, and that the Education Ministry has developed a program to fight terrorist ideology in the schools. ** the Saudis have said that they are interested in Jewish participation in the new dialogue, but don’t want anyone involved in “oppressing Palestinians.” If this is code for excluding all Israelis, Jewish invitees should refuse to participate. ** The reason for this is simple: It is not possible to have a dialogue with the Jewish people that deliberately excludes the Jewish state. The first step of tolerance and understanding is to accept that the Jews are a people, that Israel is the Jewish state, and that the denial of Jewish national rights not only constitutes anti-Semitism, but the most virulent form of anti-Semitism today.