Al-Azhar says Palestinian cause has reached a level of injustice that allows no neutrality

Al-Azhar, the leading Islamic scholarly body and the largest religious institution in Egypt, said the Palestinian cause has reached a level of injustice that allows no neutrality, according to remarks by its Grand Imam, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, during a meeting in Cairo on Monday.

Speaking while receiving the Italian Ambassador to Egypt, Agostino Palese, at Al-Azhar’s headquarters, Al-Tayeb said the situation in Palestine involves a serious level of injustice and aggression. He said it represents a clear violation of civilisational, religious, human and moral values, amid continued bloodshed, the killing of children, and crimes that amount to genocide.

Al-Tayeb said what is happening “cannot be described as a war, but rather as aggression and genocide carried out by an occupying army equipped with the latest weapons against an unarmed people”.

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He added: “We have lost many martyrs in this unjust aggression, and we are deeply pained by the blood of children and women. However, the occupying entity and those who support it have also lost, after its true nature was exposed to global public opinion.”

The Grand Imam said the international scene is witnessing a noticeable shift, after years in which the world accepted the occupier’s narrative due to false propaganda and strong media influence. He said people in Western countries have taken to the streets to condemn the killings in Gaza, describing the occupation as responsible for some of the worst crimes against humanity, leading to a decline in popular support.

Al-Tayeb also praised Italian dock workers who refused to load ships with weapons bound for use against civilians in Gaza, describing their action as a humanitarian stance that reflects a living conscience and genuine humanity.

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