CRIF DIALOGUES WITH MUSLIM LEADER

Roger Cukierman invited Fouad Allaoui to meet with CRIF's Commission for Relations with the Muslims. "We never had a chance to invite your organization before, and I would be very happy should you accept our invitation," said Cukierman. Fouad Allaoui sounded confused by the invitation and did not accept it. He just replied "With God's help."

However, Fouad Allaoui condemned the anti-Semitic attacks perpetrated in France. "Our condemnation is true, from the bottom of our hearts. Attacking religious symbols, attacking the group consciousness of religious communities, this is not good. I can show you tens of communiqués sent to all the imams (Muslim religious leaders) telling them that anti-Semitism is reprehensible in the eyes of the Muslim faith and the Muslims. We condemn anti-Semitism as we condemn the hatred for Muslims and racism in general. This is a religious tenet. Attacking a Jew in France is like attacking Islam, attacking the Muslims," said Allaoui.

The Muslim leader said also, he "did not notice a new anti-Semitism within the Muslim community as denounced by CRIF. I do notice attacks against Jews, as I do notice attacks against Muslims. I think they are the fact of common enemies, wishing to establish barriers between Jews and Muslims in this country," concluded Allaoui.