Nouakchott: Israeli participation in a seminar on Islam

A seminar held in Nouakchott including representatives for the Parliamentary society committee of the NATO and the "Mediterranean Dialogue", which includes Israel, dedicated its discussions on Monday to the issue of " Islam and democracy."

The seminar which opened on Sunday and to be concluded today (Tuesday) includes participants from nine countries from the Mediterranean special group, the NATO parliamentary society committee and representatives for five countries of the " Mediterranean Dialogue," the program which was launched by NATO in 1994.

During the conference, the Mauritanian expert in Islamic affairs, Hamdan Weld Taha, and the Turkish woman expert in the Sharia Islamic jurisprudence, Muwala Saljaq, were the main speakers. The participants stressed that democracy is in the "essence of Islam" and the "bad behaviors which are not complying by certain Muslims should not affect this image." Weld Taha said that "technological superiority and Globalization should not be used as the means to crash the privileges others have in the Western world," calling for dialogue and reciprocated understanding.

The participants listened to interventions made by the Palestinian representatives Abdul Shafi Mahmoud Seyam and Israel's ambassador in Noualchott Bou'az Beismout. They exchanged accusations over the implementation of the Roadmap. The two diplomats ( Palestinian, Israeli) stressed their desire to establish peace and commitment to the Roadmap.