F TAY-SACHS
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Imam express ideas, words, speech,
opinion and thoughts as afforded
to me and protected by the First
amendment of the United States
Constitution. And I reject any
campaign or attempt that depicts
me as an extremist or a bigot.”
The mosque itself has been
the target of intolerance since
its 1989 founding. In 2015, a
severed pig’s head was left out-
side of its door, which prompted
support from members of the
Jewish community. l
Continued from Page 1
jbernstein@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740
Al-Aqsa Islamic Society
broadcasts delivered in Arabic
and other languages.

“Al-Aqsa Islamic Society
rejects anti-Semitism in any
form,” wrote Chukri Khorchid,
secretary of the Board of
Trustees, and Imam Mohamed
Shehata, in a statement respond-
ing to the release of the video.

“We are shocked and outraged
to learn that one of our guest
speakers said reprehensible
anti-Jewish remarks on the floor
of Al-Aqsa. This in no way rep-
resents our beliefs or policies.

We condemn this action and will
make sure that this never hap-
pens again. We expect that all
guest speakers will respect and
uphold our policy that hatred
against any group of people or
religion will not be tolerated.”
Abouhatab’s sermons were
streamed live on the Al-Aqsa
Islamic Society’s YouTube
channel. In one video, he
tells assembled worshippers,
“Remember how Menachem
Begin, that Polish crook,
would stand next to a preg-
nant woman, and would make
bets whether it is a boy or a
girl. He would make bets, while
the woman was still alive! Then
he would slit her belly open,
while she was still alive, to see
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whether it is a boy or a girl. Just
like that. This happened. This
happened.” He also said that the qualities
of nobility, morals and dignity
had been conferred upon Muslims
exclusively, then studiously cop-
ied by Jews. Abouhatab made
reference numerous times to the
“Jewish media” as “nefarious” or
some variation thereof.

The mosque has worked as
a community leader in inter-
faith dialogue with a number
of local organizations, includ-
ing the ADL and the City of
Philadelphia. They have par-
ticipated in solidarity events
such as the 2017 “Stand
Against Hate” rally orga-
nized by Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia and
have also, since 2003, orga-
nized an annual Peacewalk,
which welcomes a variety of
religious groups.

On March 11, the ADL
released a statement condemning
Abouhatab’s remarks as “viru-
lently anti-Jewish hate” that “pro-
moted age-old falsehoods about
Jewish control of the media,
finance and government.” The
statement thanked the Islamic
Society for its “quick response” to
the release of the videos.

“We look forward to learning
more from our friends at Al-Aqsa
about how these troubling events
occurred, and we will continue to
work closely with Al-Aqsa’s lead-
ership to ensure that something
like this never happens again,” the
statement read.

As for how Abouhatab came
to be invited to speak on multiple
occasions, Nancy Baron-Baer, exec-
utive director of the Philadelphia
ADL said, “We’re having discus-
sions on that going forward. We’ve
certainly made them aware of the
fact that it was not a one-time
speaking engagement.”
In a statement, Abouhatab
denied that anything he said
was anti-Semitic, though The
Philadelphia Inquirer reported
the MEMRI’s translations were
accurate. “I am not against any religion
and what was attributed to me
is completely false. I do not pro-
mote hate, nor do I insight [sic]
violence. The religion of Islam
calls me to living peacefully
alongside others who share dif-
ferent faiths, and to never trans-
gress against the rights of others,
while always speaking the words
of truth when need be and under
the shade of the law,” he wrote.

“I firmly stand by my right to
JEWISH EXPONENT
MARCH 14, 2019
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