Hawzah News Agency- The council said in a statement on Wednesday that the delegation met with “criminal figures” in the occupying Israeli state amid a global outcry over the ongoing military assault on Gaza.
“We were shocked by media outbursts of a visit by so-called imams to the occupying Israeli state and their meeting with its criminal figures'', the council said, adding that the act “is in stark contradiction to any human or moral sensibility''.
It emphasised that the individuals involved in the visit are “unknown among European Muslims” and have no affiliation with any “reputable religious institutions or trusted Islamic organisations''.
According to the statement, the visit “clearly reveals its provocative and showy nature, aimed at serving suspicious agendas'', and does not represent the position of Muslims in Europe, who have been staging protests and demonstrations in support of Palestinians across the continent.
“The ongoing protests and daily events in cities across Europe stand as clear evidence of this unwavering position'', the council added.
The statement also called on all imams, scholars, activists, and people of conscience to “intensify efforts in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and to confront the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza''.
The council warned against any attempts to “whitewash the crimes of the occupier''. describing such efforts as “a betrayal of Allah, His Messenger, and the blood of the oppressed''.
Concluding the statement, the European Council of Imams prayed for strength and victory for the Palestinian people, saying: “We ask Allah, the Exalted, to strengthen the hearts of our brothers in Palestine, to grant victory to the people of Gaza against the oppressors, and to return them to their homes and lives in safety and dignity''.
The visit of so-called “European imams” to Israel earlier this week, organised by the European Leadership Network (ELNET), a pro-Israel advocacy group, sparked significant debate and criticism, particularly within Muslim communities in Europe.
The delegation, consisting of approximately 15 Muslim “religious and community leaders” from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Italy, visited Israel starting on July 7.
The group met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. They also visited the Knesset, met with military and religious authorities, and toured significant religious sites, including the Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City.
The delegation was led by Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, chairman of the Conference of Imams of France, known for his pro-Israel stance and interfaith activism. Other figures included Ali El Aarja, president of the Italian Islamic Confederation, and Noor Dahri, founder of the UK-based Islamic Theology of Counter Terrorism.
Many participants had Moroccan backgrounds, reflecting Morocco’s historical Jewish community and its normalisation of ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
Source: 5 PILLARS
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