Tag

Rabbi Abraham Cooper

All articles tagged with #rabbi abraham cooper

international-relations1 year ago

"Saudi Arabia Apologizes for Kippah Incident, US Delegation Cuts Trip Short"

Saudi Arabia responds to the incident involving Rabbi Abraham Cooper being asked to remove his kippah in public during a visit to Diriyah, stating that it was "unfortunate" and the result of a misunderstanding. The Saudi Embassy in the US expressed respect for Cooper's decision not to continue the tour and stated that HRH Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud had the opportunity to speak with Cooper to resolve the matter. Cooper, co-chair of the US government delegation monitoring religious freedom worldwide, emphasized the importance of not denying access to heritage sites based on religious identity, while another member of the delegation expressed concern about the state of religious freedom in the country.

"US Religious Freedom Delegation Abruptly Ends Saudi Trip Over Rabbi's Kippah Incident"
international-relations1 year ago

"US Religious Freedom Delegation Abruptly Ends Saudi Trip Over Rabbi's Kippah Incident"

A U.S. Congress-mandated group's fact-finding mission to Saudi Arabia was cut short after a Saudi official ordered a Jewish rabbi to remove his kippah in public, highlighting religious tensions in the region. Despite progress in allowing different faiths to worship privately, displaying non-Islamic religious symbols remains criminalized in the kingdom. The group's visit was also affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and the U.S. State Department has raised concerns with Saudi authorities over the incident. Additionally, the U.S. government is prepared to grant refugee status to four Uyghur Muslims imprisoned in Saudi Arabia due to potential persecution they could face if returned to China.