FCO condemns Grand Mufti speech

Minister for North Africa and the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Alistair Burt condemned on Monday the statements of Mufti Muhammad Hussein during his speech for the 47th anniversary of the Fatah movement. “I condemn the inflammatory words used by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and others at a recent event marking the 47th anniversary of the Fatah movement,” the Minister said. “To refer to the Jewish people in such a way and to talk of killing Jews is anti-Semitism, pure and simple,” Burt added. Preaching on January 9 at a rally celebrating the anniversary of Fatah's founding, the Mufti read out a Hadith, a traditional text attributed to the Prophet Mohammad saying as follows: "The hour of judgment will not come until you fight the Jews. The Jew will hide behind the stone and behind the tree. The stone and the tree will cry, 'Oh Muslim, Oh Servant of God, this is a Jew behind me, come and kill him'." Stressing again his disapproval for the Mufti’s words, FCO Minister also pointed that the UK is against any comments that “could stir up hatred and prejudice in a region that needs a culture of peace and mutual respect.”