Muslims protest Sudanese inter-religious forum that included a rabbi

From Anadalou Agency:

A forum was held in Khartoum on Saturday to support the normalization of relations between Sudan and Israel, in the first such move in the country.

In a statement, the forum organizers said the aim of the event was to “enhance tolerance and social peace in Sudan, promote national and human values, and call for peaceful coexistence”.

“The idea is not new, but it has become urgent and necessary because Sudan needs serious initiatives and the establishment of platforms that bring people of different religious backgrounds together as well as the launch of a new discourse that rejects division,” the statement said.

For his part, Jewish Rabbi David Rosen, who attended the forum via videoconference from Jerusalem, said he was “honored” to take part in “making the future of our [Sudanese and Israeli] people”.

Bishop Ingeborg Meidtum from Norway said: "The people of religions work together for tolerance, respect, peace, love and justice”.

The Sudanese Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments had earlier announced its refusal to participate in the event, citing that it was unaware of its objectives.

On Friday, the local Sudanese Ansar Affairs organization said it will not participate in the forum.

The former head of the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Sudan, Abd al-Rahman Hasan Hamed, said: “The dialogue with the other should be based on the strength of logic, not the logic of force, without using weapons to preserve the value and greatness of man.”

Rabbi David Rosen is the American Jewish Committee’s International Director of Interreligious Affairs. 

He praised the conference, saying, "The holding of the religious forum is a special occasion because the Qur'an and the Torah affirm tolerance." He says that the forum was held despite efforts to stop it.

Even though he is based out of Jerusalem, Al Jazerra Mubasher said he is a "Tel Aviv-based rabbi."

Rosen never claimed to represent Israel, and he has met with many Muslim national leaders.

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