1. Overview
Abdul Hadi Palazzi, born Massimo Palazzi on January 24, 1961, also known by his Arabic name شيخ عبد الهادي بالاتسيShaykh Abdul Hadi PalazziArabic, is an Italian Muslim imam and the Secretary General of the Italian Muslim Assembly. He also serves as the Khalifah for Europe of the Qadiri Sufi Order. Palazzi is known for his deeply controversial stance within Muslim circles, notably his support for Israel's right to exist and his encouragement for Jews to re-settle in Hebron. This position, which he bases on his interpretation of Islamic scripture, has set him apart from mainstream Islamic discourse on the Arab-Israeli conflict and led to significant debate regarding his theological and political views.
2. Early Life and Education
Abdul Hadi Palazzi's early life and extensive education laid the groundwork for his unique contributions to Islamic scholarship and inter-religious dialogue, particularly his controversial positions later in life.
2.1. Birth and Family Background
Abdul Hadi Palazzi, whose legal name is Massimo Palazzi, was born on January 24, 1961, in Rome, Italy. His family background is notable for its interfaith dynamic; his father, an Italian Catholic, converted to Sunni Islam, while his mother was a Sunni Muslim of Syrian descent.
2.2. Academic and Religious Training
Palazzi pursued a comprehensive education, completing both his secular and religious studies in Rome and Cairo by 1987. Following this, he served as an Imam for the Italian Islamic Community. He holds multiple master's degrees and earned a Ph.D. in Islamic Sciences from the Institute for Islamic Studies and Research in Naples.
3. Career and Activities
Palazzi's career is marked by his active participation in various Islamic organizations, significant academic and cultural contributions, and pioneering efforts in inter-religious dialogue.
3.1. Roles in Islamic Organizations
In 1989, Palazzi was appointed a member of the board of directors for the Italian Muslim Association. He currently serves as the Secretary General of the Italian Muslim Assembly, a Sunni Muslim organization. He also notably served as an Imam for the Italian Islamic Community after completing his education.
3.2. Academic and Cultural Contributions
Since 1991, Palazzi has served as a director of the Cultural Institute of the Italian Islamic Community. Under his leadership, the institute developed programs focused on advancing Islamic education in Italy and actively countering fundamentalism and fanaticism within Islam. Additionally, he held a lecturing position in the Department of the History of Religion at the Università della Terza Età in Velletri, a town near Rome.
3.3. Inter-religious Dialogue and Peace Initiatives
A central aspect of Palazzi's career has been his deep involvement in inter-religious dialogue, specifically fostering understanding and cooperation with Jews and Christians, and also engaging with Buddhists and other faiths. In 1997, he became a member of the International Council of the Root and Branch Association, and his essay, "The Jewish-Moslem Dialogue and the Question of Jerusalem," was published by the Institute of the World Jewish Congress. A significant initiative in his efforts was the co-founding of the Islam-Israel Fellowship in 1998 with Asher Eder from Jerusalem. This fellowship aims to cultivate a positive Muslim attitude towards Jews and Israel, based on what Palazzi interprets as the authentic teachings of the Prophet Muhammad found in the Qur'an and Hadith. Palazzi serves as the Muslim co-chairman of this fellowship, with Eder as the Jewish co-chairman. In December 2009, Palazzi visited Israel, where he met with members of the Jewish community in Hebron, including Noam Arnon and David Wilder. During this visit, he expressed his sympathy for the Jewish residents, emphasizing that both Muslims and Jews share ancestry through Abraham, who is interred at the Cave of the Patriarchs (also known as the Cave of Machpela) in Hebron. He attributed the ongoing conflict to what he described as an "extremist interpretation of Islam."
4. Core Beliefs and Ideology
Abdul Hadi Palazzi's core beliefs challenge conventional perspectives within Islamic discourse, particularly his interpretations concerning Israel, the Arab-Israeli peace process, and the influence of Salafism.
4.1. Views on Israel and Zionism
Abdul Hadi Palazzi holds distinct and often controversial views regarding Israel and Zionism. He accepts Israel's sovereignty over the Holy Land, asserting that the Qur'an supports this as the will of God, considering it a necessary prerequisite for the Final Judgment. He also accepts Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem, provided that the rights of other religions are safeguarded. Palazzi frequently cites the Qur'an to support Judaism's unique connection to the Temple Mount, stating that "The most authoritative Islamic sources affirm the Temples." He explains that Jerusalem is sacred to Muslims primarily because of its prior holiness to Jews and its historical significance as the home to biblical prophets and kings, such as David and Solomon, all of whom he considers sacred figures in Islam. He claims that the Qur'an "expressly recognizes that Jerusalem plays the same role for Jews that Mecca has for Muslims."
When asked if he views himself as a "Muslim Zionist," Palazzi responded affirmatively. He defines a Muslim Zionist as someone who supports the right of the Jewish people to have their own independent and sovereign state, stands firmly behind Israel when it faces attacks or threats to its existence, and believes that fostering friendly relations between Muslim nations and Israel serves the interests of Muslims and global civilization. Regarding the Qur'an's stance on the modern State of Israel, Palazzi acknowledges that the Qur'an, revealed centuries before Israel's establishment in 1948, cannot directly address the contemporary state. However, he contends that the Qur'an explicitly states that the Land of Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, given to them by God as a heritage, with an order for them to reside there. Furthermore, he asserts that the Qur'an prophesies the return of the Jewish people from various countries to reclaim this heritage before the end of time, arguing that to deny this is to deny the Qur'an itself.
Despite his strong convictions, Palazzi's interpretations have faced criticism from other scholars, who accuse him of "twisting logics in favour of Zionists." For instance, critics have drawn parallels to suggest that by his logic, Christians would have to be forcibly removed from North and South America, and Native American tribes would have to resettle America, similar to how he advocates for Muslims in Palestine.
According to scholar Dina Lisnyansky, Palazzi "created his own niche." She notes that he skillfully combined the democratic rights prevalent in Western Europe with his deep love for Islam, while integrating his Zionist mission. Lisnyansky describes him as a "radical too, but not on the radicals' side. He is fighting everything that political Islam promotes." She explains that one reason he is not on any blacklist in Iran is that, unlike figures such as Salman Rushdie, he has never spoken negatively about Islam itself. Instead, when addressing what he perceives as extremist interpretations of the Qur'an, he frames his critique by saying, "You got something wrong," rather than "you are wrong." Therefore, his mission is not to reinvent Islam, but to "correct the perspective."
4.2. Views on the Arab-Israeli Peace Process
Palazzi has been a vocal critic of the US-backed roadmap for peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, contending that it inadvertently rewards Palestinian terrorism. He consistently argues against calls for jihad (holy war) against Israel, and maintains that there is no religious mandate in Islam requiring Israel to relinquish control over Muslim holy places.
4.3. Views on Salafism
In Abdul Hadi Palazzi's assessment, Islam has been "hijacked" by the Salafist movement originating in Saudi Arabia. He characterizes this movement as a "radical" reformist ideology that rejects a moderate understanding of the Qur'an and has gained control over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Palazzi asserts that the vast wealth generated from oil money has enabled this "primitive and violent culture" to become globally powerful, allowing them to "reshape Islam in accordance with their political issues."
5. Publications
Abdul Hadi Palazzi has authored several publications, primarily focusing on his interpretations of Islamic texts concerning Israel and critiques of contemporary Islamic movements. His notable works include:
- "What the Qur'an Really Says"
- "The Islamists Have it Wrong" (published in Middle East Quarterly, Summer 2001, pages 3-12)
- "Wahhabism, the Saudi Arabia-based puritanical heresy at the base of Islamism"