The Palestinian Religious Scholars Society on Wednesday issued a fatwa (Islamic religious decree) forbidding normalization with Israel.
The fatwa came in response to a surprise ruling earlier this week by Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, head of Egypt's al-Azhar Mosque University, in favor of normalization with Israel.
"Islam does not prohibit normalization with other countries, especially Israel, as long as this normalization does not affect religion," Tantawi, one of the Arab world's leading Muslim scholars, wrote.
Condemning Tantawi's stance, the Palestinian Religious Scholars Society said his ruling was tantamount to supporting infidels, a move that is banned by Islam. "This is like sharing with the infidel in his evil deeds," it added.
---edited -- long article---