A German Jewish leader slammed Wednesday the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, describing the affair as a complete failure of inter-religious dialogue.

"Not everything which is legally protected as freedom of opinion in morally and ethically justifiable," said Paul Spiegel, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany.

The violence of Muslim protests over the cartoons indicated a complete failure of inter-religious dialogue, said Spiegel, who heads more than 100,000 Jews in Germany.

"Instead of lectures delivered in the style of a schoolmaster on Western principles of freedom of speech and freedom of the press it would be far better to show more sensitivity for religious feelings of the Muslim community," Spiegel said.

But he also said that nothing could justify the violence used by some Muslim protestors.

The publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad, first in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in September and then in many other European newspapers, sparked violent protest in many Muslims countries.

Source: Xinhua