US embassy cable - 05DOHA1226

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 001226 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI THORNE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KISL, IS, QA 
SUBJECT: DIALOGUE OF RELIGIONS CONFERENCE: AMIR WELCOMES 
PARTICIPATION OF JEWS 
 
 
1. (U) Summary. The Amir of Qatar opened the Third Conference on 
Dialogue of Religions and welcomed Jewish participants for the 
first time. (Though none came from Israel, there was a five- 
member delegation of rabbis from the U.S.) In his opening 
remarks, the Amir expressed liberal views on reforming Islamic 
practice and improving Muslim societies through a deeper 
understanding of other "religions of the book." There were fewer 
high-level attendees at this year's event, in part because of the 
presence of Jewish leaders. Prominent cleric Dr. Yousef al- 
Qaradawi was the most noticeable absentee, having said he will 
only interact with Jews who reject Zionism. Muslim and Christian 
leaders in the opening session emphasized the value of dialogue; 
a Jewish leader from France added the concept of belonging to a 
state as well as a religion, saying that both institutions share 
the goal of improving the human condition. End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, 
opened the Third Conference on Dialogue of Religions, billed as 
focusing on religion's role in enhancing human values and 
civilized behavior. Twenty-nine Christian leaders attended from 
Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. Seven Jewish leaders 
attended, chiefly from the U.S. No Israeli Jews participated, 
however. Post understands that it was the Amir's wish that 
Israelis be invited, but resistance at the level of the 
organizing committee, which was dominated by professors from 
Qatar University, resulted in a downgrade of the status of the 
Israeli invitees. They would not be panelists but could make 
comments from the floor. On this basis, the Israeli delegation 
declined to attend. The American Jews, though concerned about the 
treatment of their co-religionists, were encouraged by Embassy to 
attend, to ensure and build upon interfaith progress expected at 
this year's event. 
 
3. (SBU) The story of invitations for the Israelis an off-scene 
drama, with the Dean of Sharia Law at Qatar University quoted in 
local papers well before the event denying any Israeli 
participation. Later, the GOQ took credit anyway for inviting the 
Israelis, the local Arabic press prominently announcing that they 
had been sent invitations. Any Jewish participation at all was 
enough for cleric Dr. Yousef al-Qaradawi to follow through on his 
threat to avoid any such interaction. One of his associates, Dr. 
Ali Muhi-Eddin al-Qaradaghi (a fellow professor but not related), 
was selected to give the Muslim portion of opening remarks. 
 
Amir: Progressive Opening Remarks 
--------------------------------- 
 
4. (U) The Amir's opening remarks took a liberal stance. He 
highlighted three main tracks that are needed to support inter- 
religious dialogue. The first track is the promotion of exchange 
of knowledge among Islam, Christianity, and Judaism through the 
translation of the basic texts into Arabic and foreign languages. 
The Amir supported the establishment of joint institutions to 
carry out this task. The second track is to focus on the social 
and cultural issues needed to achieve rapprochement and 
cooperation, especially including the role of women in society, 
as a means to understanding the ethics of Muslim societies. The 
third track is to find ways of joint cooperation in solving 
chronic conflicts in order to realize peace and accord. The 
Amir's opening remarks were followed by those of other keynoters, 
with a French Jewish lay leader speaking first. An Egyptian 
Catholic bishop and Qaradaghi came next, reflecting the order 
their faiths were codified. 
 
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Introductory Remarks 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
5. (U) The Jewish leader, Bernard Canovich, from France, 
introduced the idea that part of one's cultural identity is 
national as well as religious. Both France's republicanism as 
well as his own Judaism have the same goal, he said, which is the 
betterment of the human condition. He related an eloquent story 
from the Jewish tradition that dawn only begins when one 
recognizes other persons as one's brother or sister. 
 
6. (U) The Egyptian Catholic, Archbishop John Thabet Qelta, 
arrived (after some length) at the point that engaging in 
dialogue is a form of holiness. Without mentioning any specific 
territory, he said that "all land is holy" because it is regarded 
so by different religions. He spoke of the universality of 
spirituality, and how the modern era as affected, in many cases 
distracted, from the spiritual condition of humankind. 
 
7. (U) Dr. Ali Muhi-Eddin al-Qaradaghi, professor of 
jurisprudence and religion at Qatar University, argued that the 
Quran is a "book of dialogue" with others. He noted that Muslims, 
Christians, and Jews shared objectives at the 2000 Cairo 
Conference on the Family. He called on people of different 
religions to "defend what is right" rather than defending one's 
own sect without discrimination. He noted however that 
"resistance is legal" in all the prophetic religions in cases of 
occupation by a foreign power, but that Islam denounces 
terrorism, violence, and intimidation. He added that what is 
happening in the Islamic world today is caused by injustice and 
occupation. On this point, al-Qaradaghi appeared to be voicing 
Dr. Yousef al-Qaradawi's position on the Israeli-Palestinian 
issue, urging an end to Israeli occupation and giving 
Palestinians their rights. He ended by calling on the "powers of 
the world" to change their attitudes toward Iraq and Palestine. 
Here, al-Qaradaghi seemed to be addressing in a more direct 
manner what the Amir was alluding to in his third track - that 
there can be no peace without addressing the Palestinian and 
Iraqi issues. 
 
Regional Politics Mixes with Religion 
------------------------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) Later sessions focused on the role of religion in 
improving human civilization. However, one of the participants, 
George Saliba, a Christian representative from Lebanon, 
criticized the West for being unduly influenced by Israel. Mr. 
Saliba commented that the leaders of the Western countries were 
not true Christians because they are ruled by Zionists and 
asserted that Zionists are "disastrous for Christians as well as 
Muslims." 
 
9. (U) There were elements of true dialogue, including the 
progressive opening speech by the Amir and remarks by Princeton 
University Professor and Rabbi Mark Cohen on how to revive 
historically-tolerant Muslim-Jewish relations. But attitudes 
toward Israeli politics and the inclusion of Jewish leaders, as 
well as the lack of true religious luminaries, conspired to 
deaden the conference. There were no breakthroughs or inspired 
thinking. In the last session, as an illustration, a participant 
from the audience stood up to declare the need to condemn 
terrorism "in all its forms" including U.S. actions in 
Afghanistan. How someone could have the energy for such a rant at 
8 PM after two full conference days shows the uninspired nature 
of the event. 
 
Conclusion: A Center for Religious Dialogue in Doha 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
10. (U) The Third Conference on Religious Dialogue issued, at its 
conclusion, a set of recommendations, the most concrete component 
of which supported the Amir's proposal to establish a center in 
Qatar for religious dialogue. The center would aim to deepen 
"reciprocal knowledge" of the three monotheistic religions and 
work toward comprehending and removing "historical handicaps" to 
understanding. The conference's recommendations also call for 
establishing in Islamic countries academic departments in 
comparative religion, undertaking exchanges of religious 
teachers, and "purifying" the media of negative religious 
stereotyping. 
 
No Announcement of Churches in Qatar 
------------------------------------ 
 
11. (SBU) Perhaps knowing, in advance, that the atmosphere of 
dialoque and the international exposure were not optimal, the 
Amir did not officially announce the approval of concessionary 
property leases for several Christian denominations in Doha, an 
agreement that was signed in May 2005 (reftel). Local Christian 
leaders had expected such an announcement. The Amir may do so at 
a more auspicious moment, or he may determine that there is no 
domestic political benefit in making such a public announcement. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
12. (SBU) The less-than-stellar level of participation, the 
continued controversy in the press over invitations to the 
Israelis, and perhaps also "conference fatigue" following the 
massive G-77 Summit in Doha, contributed to a disappointing 
Dialogue of Religions. Nevertheless, Qatar -- but in particular 
the Amir -- deserves credit for trailblazing the inclusion of 
Jewish thinkers on Arab soil. 
UNTERMEYER