Islamic- Jewish dialogue in Los Angeles
Regional-USA, Politics, 9/12/2002

A group of individual and students, both Muslims and Jews, found themselves in their second day meeting in Los Angeles in an increasing challenge in the racist crimes against peoples of both sects despite the fact that they both constitute the two largest Jewish and Muslim communities in the USA, with 700,000 Jews ( the second after New York) and 500,000 Muslims.

The said group held its second meeting on Monday after the constituent meeting for the Islamic- Jewish dialogue was held several days before the September 11 attacks.

The participants in the meeting spoke of their experiences during one year from the aftermath of the attacks and the discrimination they had faced that forced the majority of them to change their appearance to hide anything that shows their religious identity.

To this effect, the human rights committee in Los Angeles registered during this year some 118 crimes that were of religious motivation targeted against those who are of Middle East origin, versus 14 crimes of that nature in 2000. This rate is considered the highest recorded crimes rate in the 21 years the committee has recorded.

The Palestinian question was not absent from the meeting which included 75 figures from both religions. One member of the board of the Islamic council for public affairs Naer Ali said that "Muslims and Jews can not meet in the same room without being aware of the 'Gorilla' always lying in one corner of the room. This Gorilla is eventually the Palestinian- Israeli conflict." The participants in the meeting indicated that several members of the Islamic- Jewish dialogue had left the meeting last year in protest of the racism acts practiced against them following the attacks of September 11.

Ali, who is of a Pakistani origin and who has, like others the American nationality reminded the others of " their common interests as members in two minorities in the mosaics of the American society." This was also confirmed by the executive director of the progressive Jewish alliance Daniel Sokatch.

Sokatch stressed the need of the Muslims and Jews consistency in matters relating to migration and feud crimes, and civil crimes because they do live together N.

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