NEW YORK (VINnews) — An American diplomatic trip to a World Heritage site in Saudi Arabia was abruptly cut short Monday when authorities demanded that a Jewish member of the group remove his religious head covering, which he refused to do, according to a Fox News report.
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The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) ended a visit to the Diriyah UNESCO World Heritage Site in Riyadh following the incident which involved its chairman Abraham Cooper, who is also a rabbi.
Saudi authorities had asked Cooper to remove his kippah. The delegation was escorted off the premises after Cooper indicated that as an observant Jew, he couldn’t comply with the request.
“No one should be denied access to a heritage site, especially one intended to highlight unity and progress, simply for existing as a Jew,” Cooper said in a statement. “Saudi Arabia is in the midst of encouraging change under its 2030 Vision. However, especially in a time of raging antisemitism, being asked to remove my kippah made it impossible for us from USCIRF to continue our visit.”
“We note, with particular regret, that this happened to a representative of a U.S. government agency promoting religious freedom,” he added. “USCIRF looks forward to continuing conversations with the Saudi government about how to address the systematic issues that led to this troubling incident.”
“Saudi officials’ request for Chair Cooper to remove his kippah was stunning and painful,” said USCIRF Vice Chairman Frederick Davie. “It directly contradicted not only the government’s official narrative of change but also genuine signs of greater religious freedom in the Kingdom that we observed firsthand.”
While Saudi Arabia has worked to increase interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance, it has also violated religious freedoms by making it illegal to practice any faith other than Islam,” the State Department said in its 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom.
USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity, established by the U.S. Congress to monitor and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF supports the right to religious freedom, as protected under international human rights law, which includes the freedom to wear religious symbols and attire.
I don’t remember ever seeing someone asked to leave because he didn’t cover his head
And yes these dignitaries may have finally seen the hypocrisy and lies that the Arabs spread about being more inclusive
I could understand somewhat if they would have asked him to switch to another head covering, whether fedora, baseball cap, or Arab headdress. But to ask him to go bareheaded? Were the hosts also bareheaded?
He should have told the Arab who told him to remove his kippa to please lend him his kafiya. Simple. Didn’t have to be a diplomatic incident.
From the river to the sea, the world shall be Islamofascist FREE!!
So much for Kushner-Trump’s phony “Abraham Accords” just as predicted. Worthless as Chamberlain’s “Peace in our Time” drek w Adolf.
where this rabbi get his smicha from?
Don’t Jews ask Christians to cover their crosses when visiting Jewish holy sites in Israel for example the kotel.