Jordan condemns desecration of Koran in the Netherlands

AMMAN — Jordan on Tuesday condemned the ripping of a copy of the Holy Koran in the Netherlands. A Foreign Ministry statement stressed the Kingdom's rejection of these hardline acts that fuel feelings of hatred and violence, and threaten peaceful coexistence.

Burning and tearing up copies of the Holy Koran is a hate-motivated behaviour, and a manifestation of Islamophobia itself, which incites violence and offends religious sentiments, the statement said, adding that "it could not be considered freedom of expression at all". There is a “collective responsibility” to spread a culture of peace and acceptance of others, increase awareness of shared values, enrich the values of tolerance and forgiveness and discard extremism and religion-based incitement of tensions, the statement read.