The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemns the statements made by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip.
The Muslim Council of Elders reaffirms its categorical rejection of these statements, as well as any plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people, whether within the Occupied Palestinian Territory or beyond its borders. The Council stresses that the displacement or forced removal of Palestinians from their land constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and an infringement upon their legitimate and inalienable rights.
The Council warns against the grave consequences of transforming such calls into policies or measures implemented on the ground. It emphasizes that any attempt to impose forced displacement would further exacerbate the suffering of the Palestinian people, undermine international efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip, and weaken prospects for achieving peace and stability in the region.
The Muslim Council of Elders further stresses that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian Territories and that preserving the unity of the Palestinian territories in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, remains a fundamental pillar for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Council calls on the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and adopt a firm stance against any attempts to displace the Palestinian people or alter the demographic and geographic realities of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Council reaffirms its support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their attachment to their land and legitimate rights, while reiterating its categorical rejection of any measures aimed at undermining the Palestinian cause or compromising the rights of the Palestinian people.