Iranian and Turkish representatives at an interfaith conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, erupted into protest after David Antebi, the representative of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef, mentioned the October 7th Massacre during his address. Despite the protest, the hosts and participants maintained order, and the conference continued as planned.
Religious representatives from around the world and senior Kazakh government officials, including the Minister of Culture, his deputy, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the two-day conference. Among the attendees were representatives of the Vatican, the Anglican and Russian churches, along with delegations from Iran, China, Japan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the Bahai community.
On the first day of the conference, the directorate met to discuss various issues on the agenda and set dates and goals for future conferences. Representing Israeli Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber, Avinoam Kutscher presented Judaism's positions and values regarding the various global issues discussed.
The main gathering was held on the second day, focusing on challenges facing the international community, including the threats of global warming, the advancement of artificial intelligence, and the moral obligation to provide respectful and compassionate care to children and adults dealing with incurable illnesses.
During his address on the second day, David Antebi spoke to the participants about the October 7th Massacre and its meaning. The mention of the Palestinian Arab-led massacre set off protests by the Iranian and Turkish representatives, but did not cause the discussions to stop, and the event carried on as planned.
The conference concluded by emphasizing the importance of continuing dialogue and cooperation between the various religions to address the common challenges facing humanity.