Azhar grand sheikh, Pope of Alexandria affirm support to the Palestinian cause
Egypt-Palestine, Religion, 3/13/2002

Egyptian Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Mohammed Sayed Tantawi and Head of the Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Shenouda III reaffirmed their support to the Palestinian cause and the legitimate Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation.

The Muslims and Christians of Egypt support the Palestinian people and their resistance against the occupation, the two top religious figures told a gathering of the Lyons Club Monday night.

The relationship between Muslims and Christians in Egypt has been warm throughout the past 14 centuries. Sheikh Tantawi said, describing some acts of sectarian strife as misbehavior on the part of their perpetrators that do not reflect the genuine relationship between the two.

On his relationship with Pope Shenouda, he said it was friendly, warm and close, adding that they had a close understanding on most social, political and humanitarian issues.

He called for the creation of a lobby in the US of Arab Muslims and Christians to challenge the Zionist Lobby and spearhead Arab causes.

The Pope, on his part, said his decision to ban Copts from traveling to Jerusalem for pilgrimage still holds until tangible progress is made in the peace process and Arab Muslims and Christians agree on the issue together.

He said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had invited him to Bethlehem, but he turned it down because he refused to enter the holy city with an Israeli visa and told him he would come when the Palestinian State is established.

Mad acts harm the relationship between Muslims and Christians, they are carried out by irresponsible people who harm Egypt's image abroad, he added.

Real faith is to work on building rather than destruction, unity rather than dissension, he said, adding that his relationship with Sheikh Tantawi is a symbol for love and friendship between the Christians and Muslims of Egypt.

The dialogue of religions does not touch upon issues of faith, but emanates from the common ground Islam and Christianity share, he noted. He said he and Sheikh Tantawi shared identical views on many issues.

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