Thursday, November 28, 2013

Israel: Muslim leader cleared of 'blood libel' charges


Sheikh Raed Salah, leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was convicted of incitement to violence recently.  But the Jerusalem court also acquitted him of incitement to racism for antisemitic remarks he made in which he implicitly accused Jews of killing European children for their blood.  A British tribunal had ruled that same speech antisemitic.

The prosecution said references Salah made to bloodlibel provided the basis for a separate claim against him for racist incitement.

In his speech, Salah said that he and other Muslims never made their Ramadan bread with the blood of children, adding, “Whoever wants a more comprehensive explanation, should ask what happened to some of the European children whose blood was mixed with flour for use in holy bread.”

Salah’s lawyer convinced the court that Salah’s words on the blood-libel issue were open to multiple interpretations, including to the Christian Crusaders killing children in Europe.

As a result, the court convicted him of incitement to violence, but not racist incitement.

More: Jerusalem Post

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