A Muslim couple was refused a Swiss citizenship application for refusing to shake hands in a way that contradicts their faith, the British Guardian reported.

It was also reported that the couple did not answer questions that were asked, the man did not answer the questions asked by a woman, and the woman did not answer the questions asked by the man.

According to the report, the case took place in the Swiss city of Lausanne, where a Muslim couple was refused a Swiss citizenship application for refusing to shake hands with members of the opposite gender. The question of what would have happened if chareidi Jews who had to touch a person of another gender were involved in such a problem.

The municipality in Lausanne has said it refuses to grant the couple’s citizenship application due to lack of respect for gender equality, said the mayor of Lausanne, Gregor Juno. He said the municipal committee had examined the couple a few months ago to determine whether they met the criteria for citizenship, but this decision, which was published on Friday, said that they could not integrate into Swiss culture.

The mayor refused to reveal where the couple came from, or other identifying details, but said that “they did not shake hands with members of the opposite gender.”

They also “found it very difficult to answer questions asked by people of the opposite gender,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Pierre-Antoine Hildebrand, who was a member of the couple’s examining committee, said he was “very pleased” with the decision to reject the couple’s request.

“The constitution and equality between men and women outweighs religious fanaticism,” he said. The couple has 30 days to appeal the decision.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)