Qatari emir opens conference on dialogue of religions; Top Israeli Jewish religious leaders boycott

The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani on Wednesday morning inaugurated the third conference on the dialogue of religions at the Four Seasons hotel, Doha.

A representative of the Jewish Institutional Council in France, Bernard Canovic, expressed pride to address the conference. In his address, he praised the call for a meaningful dialogue and constructive communication as made by the Qatari. Monotheist religions have many shared values in common, the speaker said. But, top Israeli Jewish religious leaders have refused to attend the Qatar conference because they were not allowed to be on a panel or listed as participants on the program, Rabbi David Rosen told The Jerusalem Post.

"Due to pressure that was put on the Qataris from Islamic extremists against having any Jews, the [Qataris] communicated to the Foreign Ministry that, while the Israelis would be very welcome, they would not appear formally on the program or on the panels," said Rosen, the American Jewish Committee's Jerusalem-based International Director of Interreligious Affairs. The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed Rosen's statement.