The U.S.-Islamic World Forum concluded yesterday and was described on the conference web site as follows:
The 7th edition of the U.S.-Islamic World Forum concluded in Doha on Monday evening . The event was attended by an outstanding elite of politicians , intellectuals, and specialized experts from the two sides who gathered in the qatari capital to discuss a wide range of political, economic , technological , cultural , developmental and environmental topics of mutual concern. The two sides also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and the islamic region in general and inside the United States of America itself. Assistant Foreign Minister For Follow Up Affairs H.E. Mohamed Bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi who is also head of the conferences”permanent committee said in his closing session address that the 8th edition of the forum would be held in washington.
President Obama addressed the conference on Saturday and his remarks were summarized by a White House blog:
Today, the President addressed by video the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar. He outlined the actions the United States has taken since his speech in Cairo, Egypt last June, in which he called for a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world. The President emphasized that the U.S is ending in the war in Iraq, creating partnerships to isolate violent extremists in Afghanistan, and pursuing a two-state solution that recognizes the rights and security of Palestinians and Israelis
The blog post was authored by White House lawyer Rashad Hussain whose appointment as U.S. envoy to the Organization of Islamic Conference was announced during the President’s speech. Shortly after the announcement, the GMBDW was the first to reveal that Mr. Hussain had a history of participation in events connected with the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood as well as support for Brotherhood causes, once having called prosecution of the U.S. leader of a Palestinian terrorist organization one of many “politically motivated persecutions.”
Individuals associated with the global Muslim Brotherhood and attending the conference included the following:
- Anas Al-Tikriti (listed as Iraqi National Party but also known to be a U.K Muslim Brotherhood leader)
- Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysian opposition politician and board member of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) in the U.S.)
- Abdallah Bin Bayyah (Saudi Arabia, European Council for Fatwa and Research)
- Kamal El-Helbawi (Muslim Brotherhood leader living in the U.K.)
- Yahya Hendi (Fiqh Council of North America)
- Dalia Mogahed (Gallup Center for Muslim Studies)
U.S. government officials attending the conference included Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry, and Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke. This year’s conference was also notable for the unusually large number of participants from Turkey including Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.