CHIEF SEPHARDIC RABBI SEES INTERRELIGIOUS BRIDGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000427

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2016
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PREL KPAL IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS PEACE PROCESS ISRAELI SOCIETY
SUBJECT: CHIEF SEPHARDIC RABBI SEES INTERRELIGIOUS BRIDGE
AS BEST HOPE FOR PEACE


Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) Summary: Chief Sephardic Rabbi Schlomo Amar
highlighted the importance of promoting dialogue between
Jewish and Muslim religious leaders as a means to resolve the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a January 26 meeting with the
Ambassador. Rabbi Amar emphasized that the GOI should
encourage greater cooperation between Jewish and Muslim
religious leaders. Upon hearing the breaking news of the
overwhelming Hamas victory in the Palestinian elections
during the meeting, Rabbi Amar commented that it is better to
have happened "today than tomorrow" and that "Hamas would
have to change." Amar questioned whether the disengagement
plan had emboldened Palestinian terrorists to continue
violence. End summary.

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Promote Understanding of Israel
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2. (SBU) The Israeli Chief Rabbinate is led by Sephardic
Chief Rabbi Schlomo Amar and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona
Metzger. It is Israel's official religious authority. Chief
Sephardic Rabbi Schlomo Amar, accompanied by Director-General
of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Oded Wiener, began the
meeting by expressing his hope for "a real peace" for Israel.
Amar said that while he does not wish to involve himself in
the political arena, he is concerned that, from his
perspective, the international community, and particularly
the Arab world, is more aware of and has shown more sympathy
toward Palestinian suffering than Israeli suffering. He
asked the Ambassador to promote greater awareness and
understanding of Israel's suffering. The Ambassador agreed
that this perception does exist in countries and commented
that the Palestinian people have also suffered because of
actions by their own leadership.

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Rabbi on Hamas, Disengagement
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3. (C) Reacting to breaking news about the Hamas victory in
the January 25 Palestinian Legislative Council elections,
Rabbi Amar commented that it is better that the Hamas victory
"happen today, than tomorrow." The Rabbi said that Hamas
would have to change. He then expressed concern that the
disengagement plan, which he described as a "gift to have
more peace" to the Palestinians, would "toughen" the
terrorists and embolden them to continue violence. The
Ambassador said that if terrorists believe this, they will be
proven wrong.

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Life is More Important Than Land
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4. (SBU) Rabbi Amar maintained that the purpose of the
separation barrier is to save lives. To highlight his view
on the overall sanctity of life, Amar said that there is a
story in the Torah about two Jewish tribes that wanted to
settle in Jordan, claiming they had a lot of property. They
asked Moses for his permission for them to remain there with
their families to protect the land. Moses responded that
they could not stay, since his priority is to protect life,
not property. The Ambassador said that placing greater
importance on life than property reflects the USG view. Amar
said that he can see that "President Bush fights hard for
life," and he praised President Bush for his fight against
terrorism. "History will remember him for this," Amar said.

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Interreligious Cooperation
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5. (SBU) In response to the Ambassador's query as to what
role religion can play to promote peace, Director-General
Wiener noted that Rabbi Amar and Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona
Metzger visited the Vatican and met with Pope John Paul II in
January 2004 and with Pope Benedict XVI in September 2005.
Wiener said that the Chief Rabbis have been involved in
conferences to promote dialogue between religions, including
the January 3 conference at Bar Ilan University entitled,
"Bridging the Worlds Judaism and Islam."


6. (SBU) In response to the Ambassador's query, Rabbi Amar
stressed his belief that dialogue between Muslim and Jewish
leaders is "the only thing that might help" resolve the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He underlined his view that
the GOI should encourage and facilitate Israeli and
Palestinian religious leaders to engage in dialogue. He said
that some religious leaders, particularly Muslim leaders, are
"afraid" of reprisals if they engage in such dialogue.
"Someone should give hints to the GOI" to invest in this
effort, Amar said.

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JONES