Welcome to the President of Iran, Home of Our Jewish Brethren

TODAY! Monday, May 3, 2010 - A rally will take place to welcome the Iranian President - 12:00 noon, at the Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza 47th street between 1st and 2nd avenues in NYC

NEW YORK, May 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, spokesman of Neturei Karta International, issued the following statement on the eve of the arrival of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"It has been our honor and privilege to meet with President Ahmadinejad, as well as other Iranian leaders, several times in the past. In addition we have had the pleasure of visiting Iran on different occasions. At each encounter with the Iranian leadership, we have emphasized to them that, despite media hysteria and the statements of some misinformed Jews, we have found the Iranian people and their leaders to be friendly and respectful."

"Likewise, although we as Jews are not to be involved in politics, (according to Jewish law, Jewish people are required to be loyal citizens to the countries wherein they reside), we have found the Iranian President to be a deeply religious man, dedicated to a peaceful world, based on mutual respect, fairness and dialogue."

"Judaism seeks peace. Unfortunately, there are some Jews today, influenced by the barely century old, philosophy of Zionism, who feel that the proper Jewish response to enemies, be they real or fantasized, is aggression and calls for violence and unfortunately attempts to drag other nations down the path of war."

"It as sad that so few have actually attempted to speak to the Iranian President or seek the true opinion of Iranian Jewry who live in peace and practice their faith throughout that nation.  We have met this man who has demonstrated time and again that he is sincerely interested in the well-being of Iran's Jewish community and has deep respect for world Jewry and their Torah faith. The Zionist attempt to socially isolate this man and his people is immoral and disastrous."

"Zionism is antithetical to Torah beliefs. It believes in creating our own sovereign entity which is expressly forbidden due to the Divine decree of exile. This ideology leads to aggression against nations and is incarnated in the State of 'Israel.' This State continually oppresses other people in the name of Judaism and the entire Jewish people. This movement has exacerbated anti Semitism throughout the world. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad understands this distinction between traditional Judaism and Zionist distortion."

"We view our approach to Iran as a model for all Jews and all mankind. The Torah is the Almighty's blueprint of mercy and justice for all creation. We have followed this model in our dealings with the Iranian President and found in him an individual dedicated to these same ideals. There is much to be gained by talking and listening and everything to be lost by raising the rhetoric in the direction of war.  The grave tragedy of our era is the inordinate power garnered by Zionism, whose acceptance of force as the only means to reconcile conflicts, has influenced some to abandon Torah fundamentals. We hope and pray that those Jews who have fallen prey to Zionism will return to the traditional Jewish approach of dialogue, respect and reconciliation."

"War is a horrible thing. The dark clouds of a future conflict are now on the horizon in the Middle East. Torah Jewry hopes and prays that this may yet be averted."

"We pray to the Almighty for peace and prosperity for our great host country, the United States of America, as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran and the entire world. May we merit to see, soon in our days, the Holy Land free of Zionism, with the peaceful and speedy dismantlement of the State of 'Israel'. May we merit to the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophesies (Isaiah 2.4): 'And they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. No nation will lift its sword against any other, nor will they learn warfare anymore'. Ultimately, may we merit to the day when all nations will recognize the Kingdom of the Almighty and serve Him in harmony and peace. AMEN."

In conclusion says Rabbi Weiss, "Out of great respect to the Iranian Nation and their leadership we proudly welcome the Honorable President Ahmadinejad to New York, WELCOME!"

SOURCE Neturei Karta International