Interfaith leaders gather in Istanbul to condemn Israel's actions in Gaza, call for independent Palestinian state

(MENAFN) Demonstrating interfaith unity, a rabbi, an archbishop, and a mufti were part of a gathering in Istanbul condemning Israel's actions in Gaza. They collectively called for the creation of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.

Adorned in traditional Jewish clothing complemented by the Palestinian keffiyeh, Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss expressed strong condemnation for the ongoing "mass slaughter" perpetrated by the Israeli state. He asserted that such actions are intended to dehumanize the Palestinian population.

Having journeyed from New York to Istanbul to participate in the European Summit for Palestine organized by the European Muslim Forum, Rabbi Weiss emphasized that the atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza are unrelated to the principles of Judaism or Islam.

“We have been living together as Jews and Muslims for literally hundreds of years, thousands of years,” he informed a Turkish news agency on the offshoots of the summit, indicating the humanitarian backing received by Jewish people from Arab lands throughout times of oppression in Europe.

Rabbi Weiss asserted that Israel is leveraging the identity of Judaism to wage war against the Palestinian people. He criticized Israel for labeling the Palestinians as antisemitic and anti-Jewish, deeming such characterizations as "totally repugnant and false."

Rabbi Weiss clarified that they do not endorse the loss of lives, which has reached 1,200 people in Israel since October 7. However, he attributed these deaths to the underlying issue of the Israeli "occupation," which he identified as the root cause of the problem.

“The tens of thousands of people that died, both Muslims and Jews, and we cry, and we are hurt with the death of so many people in Gaza.”

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