Chief Justice of the religious courts in the West Bank and Gaza Interrupts Papal Meeting

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Jerusalem - A Vatican spokesman condemned Monday night an outburst by a Muslim religious judge at an interfaith meeting hosted by Pope Benedict XVI in Jerusalem, saying the remarks were 'a direct negation of what dialogue should be.'

Sheikh Taysir Tamimi, the chief justice of the religious courts in the West Bank and Gaza, who had not been scheduled to speak, commandeered the microphone at the end of the meeting and began to criticise Israel.

Speaking in Arabic, he called on Christians and Muslims to work against the Jewish state, saying that 'we struggle together and we suffer together from the injustice of the Israeli occupation and its oppressive practices, and we look forward to freedom and independence.'
'His holiness the pope, I call on you in the name of the one God to condemn these crimes and pressure the Israeli government to stop its aggression against the Palestinian people,' he said.
Latin Patriach of Jerusalem Fouad Twal attempted without success to get Tamimi to stop speaking. Although some people in the room applauded the remarks, others appeared distinctly uncomfortable.

It was not clear whether Benedict understood what Tamimi was saying.
The meeting, attended by Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, ended after Tamimi's tirade.

'We hope that such incident will not damage the mission of the Holy Father aiming at promoting peace and interreligious dialogue as he has clearly affirmed in many occasions in this pilgrimage,' Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, said in a statement.
'We hope also that interreligious dialogue in the Holy Land will not be damaged by this incident,' he added.

Benedict XVI arrived in Israel late Monday morning for a five day visit during which he will visit Christian, Jewish and Muslim holy sites and will also visit the Palestinian Authority. Read more: "Vatican condemns outburst at inter-faith meeting (Extra) - Monsters and Critics" -