Jewish delegates boycotted an interfaith meeting hosted by the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday, to protest against the participation of extremist Muslim Brotherhood representatives.
“We do not consider it appropriate for organizations such as the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, or individuals who made or endorsed anti-Semitic statements and who are clearly linked to radical Islamist movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood to be present,” Rabbi Aba Dunner, executive director of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), said.
Philip Carmel, a spokesperson for CER, told Haaretz one of the most “problematic” guests is Chakib Ben Makhluf, president of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, which he called “the European arm of the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Also in attendance is Tariq Ramadan, a Swiss-born Muslim activist who has accused Jewish figures in France of “abandoning human values” because of their support for Israel.
“This unusual invitation by the European Parliament was extended because the organizers sought to solve a recurring problem at these events,” Carmel said, “which is lack of central representation for Muslims. So they invited the loudest, best funded, most active group - which also happens to be extreme and fundamentalist.”
He noted that the Muslim Brotherhood was propagating “intolerance” and seeking to impose Islamic rule on the rest of the world. Carmel remarked that the legal arm of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe is called “the European Council for Fatwa and Research,” headed by Yusuf al-Qaradawi - a supporter of suicide bombings.
“The CER is usually careful not to become involved with politics, least of all Middle Eastern politics,” Carmel said. “But we took this step not because we are Jews or because of Israel, but because we are Europeans.”
The meeting was intended for religious leaders, and is co-hosted by the presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament.
The Conference of European Rabbis said its leaders regret that the European institutions have chosen to patronize “extremists who are not representative of the vast majority of Europe?s Muslim citizens who support dialogue and the democratic values of the European Union.”
The World Jewish Congress expressed regret that the “positive” initiative of the European institutions ? bringing religious leaders together to foster mutual trust and understanding ? had been “undermined by the inclusion of people who are not interested in interfaith dialogue but in promoting divisive ideologies.”
The European Union criticized the boycott.