Livni may attend interfaith session

Kadima leader may attend special UN session following Saudi call for intra-religious dialogue.

By ALLISON HOFFMAN, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK
livni sultry head on hands 224 88 ap (photo credit: AP)
livni sultry head on hands 224 88 ap
(photo credit: AP)
NEW YORK - Kadima leader Tzipi Livni may attend a UN gathering of world leaders called for November 12 in the wake of a recent Saudi initiative to promote dialogue among the world's major faiths. The effort kicked off with a July meeting in Madrid among leaders of the world's monotheistic religions, hosted jointly by the kings of Spain and Saudi Arabia at the request of the latter, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. The parley, held at the Prado Palace in Madrid and endorsed by the World Jewish Congress, included a 15-member delegation of rabbis and Jewish scholars, as well as Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. The November meeting will be convened by the president of the General Assembly, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, as a high-level plenary session of all 192 UN member countries devoted to promoting a worldwide "Culture of Peace," according to spokesman Enrique Yeves. The decision to place the effort under UN auspices came after the participants in the initial meeting agreed to reconvene periodically to "promote dialogue and cooperation among religions and cultures," Yeves told The Jerusalem Post. D'Escoto told the Post in a recent interview that he had agreed to host the follow-up meeting in the interest of promoting fellowship among the "brothers and sisters" of the world. Israel plans to attend, but has not yet decided who will go, said Mirit Cohen, a spokeswoman for Israel's mission to the UN. Livni would be entitled to attend in her role as foreign minister, though President Shimon Peres may also attend. The Saudi Press Agency reported over the weekend that Abdullah would be present. He urged his fellow Muslims to engage with non-Muslims to show that theirs was not a violent religion. "I will go to America for the dialogue of followers of religions," the king said at a meeting with Information Minister Ayad Madani and newspaper editors. "The dialogue comes at a time when the world is criticizing Islam." The Saudi kingdom currently bans non-Muslims from openly practicing their religions.