Grand Rabbi of Israel Criticizes Assad´s Address to Pope

MADRID, Spain, MAY 8, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Grand Rabbi Meir Lau of Israel deplored Syrian President Bashar Assad's speech against Israel, during John Paul II's visit to Syria.

In his speech welcoming John Paul II to Damascus on Saturday, Assad drew a parallel between the suffering of Palestinians and that of Jesus Christ.

During a press conference in Madrid, Rabbi Lau was especially critical that Assad in his anti-Israel speech took advantage of the Pontiff's presence in Damascus, given the great media interest in the event.

Assad accused Israel of killing and torturing Palestinians, infringing the law, and not withdrawing from the occupied territories.

Zenit - The World Seen From Rome
8. mai 2001