What, trouble in paradise? “Interfaith conference fails after argument between Muslims and Jews,” from Macau News, July 18:
An interfaith conference which has been held in Madrid during the week has ended on a bad note with Muslims and Jews involved in a political argument.
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah had gathered followers of the world’s major faiths for the Madrid conference to seek religious reconciliation.
It has been reported that exchanges between Muslim participants and Jewish Rabbis turned to a discussion on Zionism and became overheated, almost leading to blows.
It was the first time Saudi Arabia had invited Jews to such a meeting and the aim was to avoid hot issues like the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Yes, first time—though, of course, the invite was not to their home, Saudi Arabia, which would have made the Saudi gesture that much more sincere. But then again, Jews and Christians are not welcome in the Muslim prophet’s home. So much for the King’s desire for “religious reconciliation.”