Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi against Including Jews in Dialogue between Religions

In his May 28, 2004 Friday sermon, broadcast live by Qatar TV, Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi discussed his involvement in a dialogue with Christian clerics. Sheikh Qaradhawi claimed that Jews should be allowed to join the dialogue, but only when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is solved. Following are excerpts from his sermon:

Sheikh Qaradhawi: The Jews caused us a great injustice, the greatest injustice. They have expelled our people, stolen our land, shed our brothers' blood, and are still shedding blood, and there should be no contact between them and us.

How could I agree to meet with them? They have killed our brothers in Rafah and destroyed their homes, and today I am supposed to shake their hands? The problem between them and us should be solved first. There is no way I will take part or agree that any observant Muslim take part in a dialogue with those Jews before our problem with them is solved.

True, there are a few Jews who do not agree, but about these, Islam says that the majority rules all, while the minority has no influence. We judge according to the majority. I know that there are some Jews, with whom our brother Ahmad Mansour (Al-Jazeera talk show host) conducted interviews, who reject Israel and see it as defying God's will and so on. But they are a drop in the ocean. The Jews around the world, as a rule, support Israel. And it is well known. Therefore, we will not agree to meet with them until our problem with the Zionist entity and those Westerners and Christians who support them, is solved.