Rabbis in Ramallah
Photo: AP
Anti-Zionist rabbis visit Ramallah
Delegation of Neturei Karta rabbis arrives at Palestinian parliament, greeted by Hamas members in Legislative Council that say visit proves Hamas has no 'personal, moral issues with Jews'
A delegation of rabbis from Neturei Karta, the anti-Zionist faction of the ultra-orthodox population, arrived Tuesday at the Palestinian parliament in Ramallah for a visit.
Neturei Karta rabbi meets Hamas' Mahmoud Abu-Tir (Photo: AP)
During a session of the Legislative Council, Council Speaker Dr. Aziz Dweik, a Hamas member, greeted the group members, saying they were known for their pro-Palestinian positions and their support of the Palestinian cause.
He added that with the visit, the Neturei Karta group was seeking to express its solidarity with the Palestinian people. "We admire Neturei Katra's stances, which back the Palestinian issue, and welcome them among us always," Dweik stated.
Hamas members in parliament said that the visit attested to the fact "Hamas has no personal or moral dispute with the Jews," and that the conflict concerned the Palestinian people's problem with the occupation.
At the beginning of March, a group of five Neturei Karta rabbis visited Iran in order to voice the faction's support for President Ahmadinejad and his plans to destroy Israel.
The rabbis of the faction known for its hatred to Israel and to the Zionist ideology, stated in the Iranian radio they aspire for "a disintegration of the Israeli government."
The rabbis visited all over Iran and met with top government officials, with nuclear program officials, and with many students who heard their thoughts about Israel and the Zionist ideology.
During their stay they also visited several synagogues and met with the small Jewish community still left in Iran. When asked to refer to the Iranian denial of the holocaust, the rabbis replied that they are not bothered by it, to say the least.
Ilan Marciano contributed to the report
