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Muslims Celebrate Ramadan with the Israeli Ambassador in Washington
(Times of Israel) Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed - It was my unique pleasure to enjoy my iftar - breaking the Ramadan fast - at the home of Israeli Ambassador and Mrs. Ron Dermer in Washington on Wednesday. The warmth of the multi-faith, multi-national and multi-cultural attendees was immediately embracing. I was unable to distinguish a Muslim from a Christian from a Jew. It was a wonderfully accepting scene, and mirrored exactly what I have learned is the true nature of the State of Israel. I was greeted by a particularly radiant and friendly woman whose ethnicity again stumped me. We talked about her work as bureau chief of Israel's i24 television, so I assumed she must be Israeli. Her name was Mounira Al Hmoud, a Muslim of Saudi and Algerian origin. Just as the ambassador concluded his opening remarks, someone's cellphone emitted the call to prayer. Arrangements had been made for us to pray. Our friendly Jewish hosts attended to our every need. Ambassador Dermer spoke of Israel's desire to continue to enhance integration among Israel's Muslim population: 20% of the total population. He disclosed that as a young student at Oxford University, his closest friend was a Pakistani Shia Muslim. The writer, a British-American Muslim, is Associate Professor of Medicine at the State University of New York (Stony Brook).