Did a shul invite a PLO representative to speak? (UPDATE: Yes)

Raya.ps (and Maan) reports:

The President of the General Commission of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, Ambassador [sic] Maen Areikat, met with American Jewish figures representing the Orthodox Jewish community in New York City, at the invitation of the founder of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, Rabbi Marc Schneier.

Ambassador Areikat delivered a speech on the situation in Palestine and the role that could be played by the American Jewish community to achieve a just peace, which preserves the rights of all parties in the region.

He spoke about many issues related to the Jewish state, including incitement, and security guarantees, refugees, and the situation in the region.

The meeting comes within the framework of regular meetings which Areikat holds with representatives of the American Jewish community, emphasizing the importance of such activities to promote dialogue and understanding with this important community. More than 250 people in Westhampton Beach synagogue attended.

Rabbi Marc Schneier is indeed the founder of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and the rabbi of the Hampton Synagogue, which is Orthodox.

But I couldn't find anything about this event in either the FFEU or Hampton Synagogue Facebook pages or websites.

I have no problem with closer Jewish/Muslim relations; the two communities have many interests in common and should work together.

But I have a big problem with inviting the PLO into a synagogue in the interests of "understanding."

Areikat has hired a PR firm that specializes in repressive Arab regimes to push the message of a kinder, gentler PLO. This was after he made the mistake of telling the truth, saying explicitly that Palestine would be Judenrein:

So, you think it would be necessary to first transfer and remove every Jew—

Absolutely. No, I’m not saying to transfer every Jew, I’m saying transfer Jews who, after an agreement with Israel, fall under the jurisdiction of a Palestinian state.

Any Jew who is inside the borders of Palestine will have to leave?

Absolutely. I think this is a very necessary step, before we can allow the two states to somehow develop their separate national identities, and then maybe open up the doors for all kinds of cultural, social, political, economic exchanges, that freedom of movement of both citizens of Israelis and Palestinians from one area to another. You know you have to think of the day after.

The idea that a synagogue would give an open platform to someone who happily espouses ethnic cleansing of Jews, not to mention a representative of a government that honors the worst terrorist murderers and their acts, is sickening.

UPDATE: Daled Amos found a flyer that included this talk. It was during a Shabbat dinner, so we won't have a video.

Even balancing it with Prosor (who is excellent) does not justify doing this.