"The men of culture, the men of faith explained the Mufti of Damascus at the European Parliament create no clash, they create contacts". He repeated that "there are no holy wars. Peace is holy, the human being is holy". Interrupted by the MEP’s applause, El Hassoun stated that "we must speak of peace in the churches, in the mosques, in the temples", so that there will be no innocent victims any more: "We owe it to every Israeli, Palestinian or Iraqi child, who are all God’s creatures". The Muslim leader who, at a later meeting with the press, supported the positions of the Syrian government, denied that Islam makes any difference between men and women and that the Islamic countries deny freedom of cult to the other religions , then he quoted the Pope, explaining that we must not build walls, but love among people. El Hassoun recalled that "even the Muslim world has made mistakes", but he specified that "it is the men who are guilty of violence and terrorism, not the religions. Islam is against terrorism". Finally, an appeal to Europe, "a true miracle of the twentieth century", that it may "offer a helping hand to the other continents to build peace".
