One innocent handshake

January 20, 2009

This is the mistake (his enemies refer to it as “crime”) made by Sheikh Al-Azhar from Egypt, Dr. Mohammed Tantawi, the head of the most important religious law institution and Egypt’s largest religious university. He was photographed at the United Nations building in New York smiling at President Shimon Peres and covering his outstretched hand warmly.

“A person came towards me with an outstretched hand, what could I do?” Tantawi tried to justify himself. Yet it is difficult to believe that the senior religious cleric from Cairo failed to recognize Israel’s president, who was surrounded by an entourage of bodyguards and aides.

Subsequently, two parliament members called for the sheikh’s dismissal, intellectuals wanted to put him on trial for treason, while others demanded that he clarify his “despicable” behavior and issue a letter of apology for his “crime.”

Excerpts from an article by Smada Peri, Ynetnews.com

 

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