‘Jews only have envy, hatred’
A cleric has raised the ire of communal leaders after declaring the hearts of Jews are “harder than a stone” in a sermon to children at Quakers Hill Mosque.
A SYDNEY cleric has raised the ire of communal leaders after declaring that the hearts of Jews are “harder than a stone” during a sermon to children at the Quakers Hill Mosque late last month.
“The Jewish heart is very hard. They don’t have mercy,” Sheikh Youssef Hassan told the group, “They don’t have anything in their hearts. They have got only envy and hatred.”
His statements were posted on the YouTube account of the Quakers Hill Mosque on October 28.
The Australian reported that Sheikh Hassan denied he had been talking about Jewish people in general but rather about a certain story in the Koran, “to show that if you do something against God, he will curse you”.
“I’ve got so many friends [who are] Jewish and I have no problem with these people at all,’’ he said. “I have a really good relationship with them.’’
Executive Council of Australian Jewry executive director Peter Wertheim said Sheikh Hassan’s “racist and bigoted” comments went “well beyond a consideration of the Koranic text, and included derogatory characterisations of Jews generally”.
“They betray a staggering ignorance of Jewish teaching, tradition and practice. He has spoken about Jewish people as an abstract stereotype, rather than as real, flesh and blood human beings in all their individuality and variety,” he said.
Stating that the sheikh’s preaching is “false, and can only foment misunderstanding, hatred and strife”, Wertheim added, “His repugnant comments also undermine the efforts of sincere Muslims who have been working hard to counteract prejudice against their own community.
“Fair-minded Australians will rightly reject these ignorant views.”
B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said, “Religious leaders should not be poisoning the heart and minds of young people with statements loaded with -anti-Jewish invective and age-old canards.
“Dredging up disturbing stereotypes that have contributed to 2000 years of scapegoating, persecution and violence against the Jewish people is shameful and irresponsible.”
Abramovich said such a display of demonisation, incitement and vilification is “unacceptable”, and should be “denounced vigorously”.
“We call on Sheikh Youssef Hassan to immediately repudiate his hurtful words and apologise, which would be the first step for dialogue and for moving forward.”
The AJN attempted to contact the Quakers Hill Mosque, but was unsuccessful.
EVAN ZLATKIS
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