Islamic summit seeks dialogue with Christian world

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DAKAR, Mar 15 (Reuters): World Muslim leaders Friday condemned extremism and terrorism as incompatible with Islam and proposed a high-level international meeting to promote a "dialogue of civilisations" with the Christian world.
Leaders of the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which represents 1.5 billion Muslims from across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, made the "Dakar Declaration" after a two-day summit in Senegal's capital.
"We continue to strongly condemn all forms of extremism and dogmatism which are incompatible with Islam, a religion of moderation and peaceful coexistence," the declaration said.
"We believe that it is important to plan along such lines a preparatory phase by organising a major international gathering on Islamic-Christian dialogue that involves governments among other players," it said.
The Muslim body condemned acts of terrorism committed in the name of Islam, one of the biggest preoccupations of the international community since the September 11, 2001 attacks by al Qaeda in the United States.
But, in an apparent reference to the Palestinian fight against Israel, it said terrorism should be differentiated from "legitimate resistance against foreign occupation."
As is customary at an Islamic summit, leaders of the OIC -- the second largest inter-governmental bloc after the United Nations -- had harsh words for Israel, condemning it for "war crimes" against Palestinian civilians.
"The conference denounces the current and increasing Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian people and the serious violation of human rights and war crimes including the killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians," an OIC statement said.