Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh called on to intensify efforts to stop genocide in Gaza and Lebanon

The Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb, has been called on by the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) to intensify his efforts to end the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, which is ongoing after a year. The IUMS also asked such efforts to be made to stop Israel’s war against Lebanon, which carries the hallmarks of a genocide in the making.

IUMS Secretary-General Dr Muhammad Al-Sallabi made the call in an interview with Arabi21 on the first anniversary of the genocide waged by Israel against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Sallabi stressed that the continuation of the genocide is intolerable due to its devastating humanitarian effects and its violation of all religious and worldly laws. He noted that what the occupation forces are committing against the Palestinians has crossed all red lines without the world adopting a firm and decisive position to end the aggression.

The IUMS official pointed out that in light of the absence of political will among the global powers led by the US — which is completely biased in favour of Israel, to the point that it is complicit in the genocide — the people of the Arab and Islamic world have no choice but to resort to their religious institutions in order to play the role dictated by their faith to protect the souls of human beings, which Allah has made more important than the Holy Kaaba in Makkah.

“What is required today from the scholars, leaders and people of the Muslim Ummah is to ally with all the free peoples and countries in the world that have sided with truth and justice and have been able to convince the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to criminalise the occupation and call on it to stop the genocidal war against the Palestinian people, and even take measures to prosecute its leaders and hold them accountable as war criminals,” explained Al-Sallabi.

“It is necessary to expand the alliance of Arabs, Muslims and supporters of freedom and justice in the world, so that the Palestinian and Lebanese nations are avenged as they face a criminal attack from the occupation state that has crossed all red lines.”

Al-Azhar continues to represent an important Islamic beacon not only for uniting Muslims around the right word, but also in leading an effective global effort to end the war of genocide waged against the Palestinians, he added.

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