Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi said on Wednesday vitriolic remarks he made against Jews and Zionists in 2010 had been taken out of context and said he was not against the Jewish faith.
“As I have said before the quotes were taken out of context… I am not against the Jewish faith, I am not against Jews who practice their religion,” Mursi told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.
“I was talking about the practices and behavior of believers of any religion who shed blood or who attack innocent people or civilians. That’s behavior that I condemn.”
“I am a Muslim. I’m a believer and my religion obliges me to believe in all prophets, to respect all religions and to respect the right of people to their own faith,” he added.
Berlin was alarmed by video that emerged in recent weeks showing Mursi making the vitriolic remarks against Jews and Zionists in 2010 when he was a senior official of the Muslim Brotherhood. Germany’s Nazi past and strong support of Israel make it highly sensitive to anti-Semitism.
Morsi was a Muslim Brotherhood leader in 2010 when, according to a video obtained by The New York Times, he asked Egyptians to “nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred.” Months later, in a television interview, Morsi referred to Zionists as bloodsuckers who attack Palestinians, describing Zionists as “the descendants of apes and pigs.”
(Reuters)
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2 Responses
Who is he kidding? anyone want to buy a bridge because mr. Morsi is looking to sell one. Interestingly one of his close associates made similar vile comments and mr. Morsi did not distance himself from them.Alas the Emperor has no clothing.The biggest crime is that our Government has sent F16s and Abrams tanks to egypt ( I guess as a reward) and no organization or representative of our community said anything.
Mr. Morsi, I heard that song before, but I welcome the effort you made to kosher the pig. One billion dollars of American support can go a long way even in Egypt.