Egyptian media has reported that Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi had planned to boycott the 8th Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue conference held last month. According to the report:
Head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, has announced his intention to boycott the 8th Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue conference. The three-day event is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Al-Qaradawi said he opposes discourse with Jews in principle. Sources close to the Sheikh said he rejects Jewish political, rather than religious, affiliation. A statement from al-Qaradawi’s office Monday said he took part in the first three conferences, at which strictly Muslims and Christians were in attendance. He refused to attend when Jews began participating, the statement added. “How can we conduct a dialogue in a time when they seize lands, shed blood, burn farms, and demolish houses? Palestine’s conundrum has to be resolved first before we sit together at the same table,” the statement quoted al-Qaradawi as saying. Sources said al-Qaradawi previously met with representatives from Naturei Karta, an international group of anti-Zionist, Orthodox Jews.
Qaradawi, a virulent anti-Semite is often referred to here as the most important leader of the global Muslim Brotherhood, an acknowledgement of his role as the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to lead the Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide. Based in Qatar, Sheikh Qaradawi has reportedly amassed substantial wealth through his role as Shari’ah adviser to many important Islamic banks and funds. He is also considered to be the “spiritual guide” for Hamas and his fatwas in support of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens were instrumental in the development of the phenomenon. A recent post has discussed a video compilation of Qaradawi’s extremist statements.