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Assad Denies Anti-Semitism Charges As Pope Calls For Peace
CAIRO, May 8 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Pope John Paul II left Damascus for Malta Tuesday after calling on all parties involved in the Middle East conflict to open "the door to peace", while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied Israeli accusations of anti-semitism.
Bashar, commenting on allegations leveled against him by Israeli officials and Jewish organizations, stated that the Arabs themselves were semites and therefore he could not be anti-semitic.
"It is regrettable that there are still parties who fear historical truths being mentioned and who accuse us semites of being anti-semitic," Assad said.
"These parties have adopted double standards," he added, "falling back on the logic of force and arrogance instead of using the strength of logic and of law, but all this will not cancel the truth and will in no way change the conviction of the Arab people in these truths."
Assad had compared the Israeli attitude towards the Palestinians with the "murderous and treacherous" behavior of the Jews toward Jesus Christ (Prophet Issa [AS]) and the Prophet Mohammed (SAW).
The president also blamed Jews for desecrating holy sites, such as the Greek Orthodox Church in the Golan Heights town of Quneitra, gutted by Israelis before they pulled out of the town in 1974.
Of the thousands of Syrians who turned out to greet the pope in Quneitra, many carried placards denouncing Israel and pleading for justice in the region.
Although the pope witnessed the devastated church and town left by Syria as testimony to the Israeli action, he remained silent during Assad's criticisms and failed to name Israel in his speech.
Israel still holds most of the Golan Heights captured in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed by the Jewish State. Peace talks with Syria aimed at securing its recovery have broken down over Israel's insistence that the Heights are strategically important for its security. Israel has said it might withdraw only from parts from the Occupied Heights.
But Assad's previous statements equating the Israelis with the Nazis, has fueled a sharp censure in Israel and in a seemingly pro-Israeli Western press.
Egypt, too, came under Israeli criticism for allowing its press to write anti-Israeli articles. Journalists in Egypt said in a statement released this week that the Israelis, and some of the seemingly Western pro-Israeli media organizations, are systematically equating accurate reporting and journalism to anti-semitism to cover-up atrocities committed towards the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.
Back on Syria, Israel also reacted angrily to comments by Assad welcoming the pope to Damascus on Saturday. Senior Israeli officials Sunday blasted what one called "ignoble remarks" on Israel and the Jews by the Syrian President.
In an editorial published Tuesday in the Israeli daily, Ha'aretz, Israeli concerns sparked by Assad's remarks were clearly expressed.
"Adding the element of mythology to the conflict only serves to fuel complete delegitimization - not only of the occupation, and not only of Zionism and Israel, but also of Judaism as a holder of rights in the region."
The editorial advised that the supporters of the Arab cause should also oppose the "anti-semitic" trend.
The pope left aboard a Syrian Airlines craft, with Assad heading a government delegation gathered to wave him off.
"For the door of peace to open, fundamental issues of truth and justice, of rights and responsibilities must be resolved," the pope said at the end of his four-day visit.
"The world looks to the Middle East with hope and concern, expectantly awaiting every sign of constructive dialogue," he said in front of the Syrian President, without responding directly to any of his remarks against Israel.
He also expressed the wish that "Syria's long tradition of harmonious relations between Christians and Muslims will endure and become even stronger."
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