The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemns the announcement by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approving the construction of 3,400 new settlement units in the West Bank and surrounding Jerusalem, targeting Palestinian state territory.
The Council categorically rejects these provocative and escalatory actions by the Israeli occupation, which contravene United Nations charters, international laws, and Security Council resolutions, undermining efforts to achieve peace in the region and beyond.
The Muslim Council of Elders reiterates its urgent call to the international community to address Israel’s violations against the Palestinian people, halt the aggression in the Gaza Strip, oppose starvation policies and forced displacement attempts, and uphold the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.