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‘Betrayal’: Al-Azhar Denounces European Imams’ Visit to Israel, Meeting with Herzog
Al-Azhar, a leading Islamic authority, has strongly condemned the visit of a group identifying as “European imams” to Israel and their meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, deeming it a “betrayal of religious and human values.”
Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, a prominent institution of Islamic learning, expressed its strong condemnation on Thursday regarding the visit of a group self-described as “European Imams” to Israel, where they met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Al-Azhar asserted that this visit constitutes a “betrayal of religious and human values” and contradicts the suffering of the Palestinian people.
In a statement published on its Facebook page, Al-Azhar said these individuals “falsely claimed their visit aimed to promote coexistence and interfaith dialogue, while ignoring the ongoing genocide, aggression, and massacres against the Palestinian people for over twenty months.”
The statement added that participants in the visit, notably French Imam Hassan Chalghoumi, displayed “blindness of insight and numbness of feelings,” acting “as if no human, religious, or moral connection binds them to this afflicted people.”
‘Misguided Faction’
Al-Azhar described these visitors as a “misguided faction that does not represent Islam or Muslims, nor the message carried by religious scholars and imams in solidarity with the oppressed.” It warned against being deceived by these “hypocrites who trade in the name of religion and feast at tables of shame, disgrace, and humiliation.”
The statement further stressed that history “does not forgive such individuals” and often records their actions in “black pages.” It called on Muslims in the East and West to be wary of these “hired voices who compromise on values for political or personal gains.”
A group of so-called European Imams visited the Israeli President Herzog.
The group, led by Tunisian-born French ‘Imam’ Hasan Chalghoumi, used the expressions, “You represent the world of brotherhood, humanity, and freedom,” for Herzog.” pic.twitter.com/GYayMM7CwR
— DOAM (@doamuslims) July 7, 2025
This condemnation comes amid escalating Arab and Islamic anger over the delegation’s visit. The Israeli President’s office stated that the group included “prominent Islamic figures from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom,” led by Imam Chalghoumi.
The visit occurred as Israel continues to wage a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, with American support, since October 7, 2023. The Israeli war has resulted in the death and injury of over 195,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, in addition to thousands missing under the rubble.
The visit had already sparked widespread disapproval in European and Palestinian circles. The European Council of Imams in Paris denounced the trip, calling it “suspicious” and stating it “does not represent the position of Muslims in Europe.”
(AJA, PC, Social Media)
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