الأزهر 2023| دعم راسخ.. عقيدة ثابتة.. وعزم لا يتزعزع تجاه القضية الفلسطينية

The Palestinian issue was and still is one of the most pivotal issues that the Grand Imam, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, places at the top of the concerns and priorities of the Al-Azhar Foundation, which was confirmed by the strong and firm positions of Al-Azhar and its Grand Imam, during the current year, towards supporting and championing the Palestinian issue. After the brutal Zionist aggression that broke out against the residents of the besieged Gaza Strip, which led to the fall of tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded, amid shameful global silence and a weak Arab and Islamic position, its positions were like a bright candle in the midst of dark darkness, so Al-Azhar held it responsible for exposing the violations of the Zionist entity. And his brutal crimes. His efforts were painful for this usurping entity, to the point that it prompted him to devote his research units to issuing studies entirely devoted to attacking Al-Azhar and its sheikh, in clear evidence that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif was, and still is, on the path of truth.

Condemnations and praises: signs of the brutal aggression against Gaza

The beginning was with Al-Azhar Al-Sharif’s condemnation, on January 3, 2023, of the barbaric behavior committed by the extremely extremist Zionist official, “Ben Gvir,” by storming the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid brutal guards affiliated with the Zionist entity, in a shameful scene of the occupation, and it is the same behavior that was condemned by the Observatory. Al-Azhar, which stressed the danger of such behavior that indicates the intrusions and desecration of the mosque by Zionist extremists and their encouragement to commit the most heinous crimes and attacks on Al-Aqsa.
On February 13, 2023, Dr. Muhammad Al-Duwaini, Undersecretary of Al-Azhar, in his speech at the “Supporting Jerusalem” conference, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, affirmed Al-Azhar’s firmness in its position on the Palestinian issue, stressing that the Arabism and Islam of Jerusalem is a settled issue in history, religion, and reality.
On February 20, 2023, the Al-Azhar Observatory condemned the attack by a group of terrorist settlers affiliated with the extremist “Hill Youth” group, on the “Sunniyya” Mosque with stones, smashing its windows, and destroying its outer courtyard in the Al-Sahla area located in the Old City of Hebron, warning of the escalation of terrorist attacks by Settlers on mosques inside the Palestinian territories.
On the 22nd of the same month, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif condemned in the strongest terms the Zionist terrorist entity’s aggression against the Palestinian city of Nablus and its killing of ten Palestinian martyrs, stressing that this escalation and the shedding of pure, innocent Palestinian blood it led to is a link in a series of Zionist terrorist crimes against all of humanity.
On March 31, the Al-Azhar Observatory warned against allowing settlers to slaughter “sacrifices” in Al-Aqsa during the Hebrew Passover, describing it as a dangerous trend and an unprecedented escalation, and a provocation to the feelings of Muslims throughout the earth during the holy month of Ramadan.
On April 5, 2023, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist Zionist entity’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, attacking the worshipers and those secluded in it during the month of Ramadan, and causing damage to the mosque, stressing that history is the best witness to the bloodiness of the Zionists, and that a living conscience rejects and abhors their terrorism. He despises him, and believes that the rights of the Palestinian people belong to them, no matter how long or short the time takes.
On the same day, the Al-Azhar Observatory condemned the Zionist occupation forces’ storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the brutal assault on the worshipers and those secluded inside it, and forcefully forcing them to leave it, stressing that they aim to enable Temple organizations and extremist settlers to storm it. Celebrating what they call “Easter,” stressing that this is a blatant violation that may lead to an explosion in the situation inside Al-Aqsa and the entire region.
On April 8, 2023, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Great Battle of Badr, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif called on all Muslims from all over the world to inspire the spirit of victory and patience in the holy month of Ramadan. And not to despair of their defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque and to stand united in defending it, and in repelling the harm of plotters and those lurking away from it and its square.
On May 6, 2023, Al-Azhar condemned Zionist terrorism and its brutal violations against the people of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem, following the legitimate protests organized by Palestinians following attempts to rape and rob the homes of Palestinians living in the neighborhood and forcibly displacing its residents, calling on the world to stand up to the Zionist entity and support it. The Palestinian people are the owners of the right and the land, stressing their full solidarity with the people of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle against the tyranny of the Zionist occupation and its settlement plans.
On the 9th of the same month, Al-Azhar Observatory condemned the ongoing Zionist terrorism against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, warning against the escalation of the situation in the region, calling on the international community to intervene immediately to stop this Zionist terrorism and protect the Palestinians’ right to live in peace, following the Zionist entity’s perpetration of A new massacre resulted in the death of 13 Palestinians and the injury of about 20 others, including children and women, in a series of raids on different areas of the Gaza Strip.
On May 19, Al-Azhar condemned the Zionist entity’s gangs’ storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid heavy guarding from Zionist security forces, stressing that this provocative act is a clear violation of all international laws regulating the protection of places of worship and the preservation of the lives of safe worshipers, calling for a unified Arab and Islamic position to be taken. Towards repeated Zionist provocations.
On the 25th of the same month, Al-Azhar Observatory condemned the violation by the Zionist occupation forces of the sanctity of the Khaled bin Al-Walid Mosque in the Al-Kasara area, east of the occupied city of Hebron, stressing that the “Khaled bin Al-Walid” Mosque will remain a witness to the steadfastness of the Palestinians in the face of the settlement incursion, and to resist it by all means, noting that The mosques and Islamic holy sites in occupied Palestine are no longer safe in light of the ongoing Zionist violations and terrorism.
On May 30, His Eminence the Grand Imam, during his meeting with the Palestinian Prime Minister, affirmed Al-Azhar’s rejection of all Zionist ambitions that aim to change the temporal and spatial reality of the Holy Mosque and the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, stressing that the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque’s campus is a completely Islamic environment, stressing that Al-Azhar carried out It is his responsibility to expose the crimes of the Zionist entity against our Palestinian brothers, and that Al-Azhar will continue to expose the crimes of the Zionist entity and will shed light on the suffering of the Palestinian people, no matter how many mouths are silenced and ears are silenced.
On June 11, the Al-Azhar Observatory warned of the Zionist plan presented by the extremist member of the Knesset from the Likud Party, Amit Halevy, to divide Al-Aqsa spatially between Muslims and Jews. It stipulates that the Al-Qibli Mosque and its surroundings south of Al-Aqsa be allocated to Muslims, and the Dome of the Rock Mosque and its surroundings up to the northern border of Al-Aqsa are for Jews, stressing that the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area, is an exclusive right for Muslims alone.
On the 24th of June, Al-Azhar strongly condemned the terrorist occupation settlers tearing up copies of the Holy Qur’an and burning them, in southern Nablus, Palestine, stressing its rejection of attacking innocent Palestinian citizens in several villages in the West Bank, and stealing their property, and that such crimes are not surprising. From this brutal colonial entity.
On the 5th of July, Al-Azhar strongly condemned the Zionist entity’s repeated attacks on the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, which resulted in martyrs and injuries among the innocent Palestinian people, reflecting the blatant Zionist insistence on continuing attacks and incursions, committing massacres, and using all kinds of brutality and force. Excessive, explicit terrorism against innocent and defenseless Palestinian people.
On September 21, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, Al-Azhar reminded the entire world of the Palestinian issue, this long-standing human tragedy, demanding that the civilized world not remain silent about the crimes of the occupation and what it is committing against our proud and steadfast Palestinian people until the end of this occupation, and that the survival of The occupation for this long period, and in light of human progress in science and civilization, is a disgraceful stain on the forehead of this world that must be removed.

Official visits to follow up on developments in the Palestinian issue
On January 15, 2023, His Eminence the Grand Imam met with the Palestinian President’s Advisor for Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, where he stressed that Al-Azhar’s support for the Palestinian people and their just cause is an imposed duty, and that Palestine is in the heart of Al-Azhar, and Al-Azhar is in the heart of Palestine.
On May 22, 2023, His Eminence the Grand Imam met Mr. José Jesús, Ambassador of the Republic of Peru to Cairo, who expressed to him Al-Azhar’s appreciation for the positions of the Republic of Peru in support of the Palestinian cause, its support for international resolutions in support of the rights of Palestinians, and the position of the youth of the Republic of Peru who came out. In demonstrations against the Zionist entity’s assassination of heroine Sherine Abu Aqla, as she is a symbol of press freedom in the world.
On the 30th of the same month, His Eminence the Grand Imam met with Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, where he assured him that Al-Azhar was aware of the concerns of Palestine, and the daily suffering that the Palestinian people endure, and affirmed its rejection of all Zionist ambitions that aim to bring about any change in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a completely Islamic environment, and we will not accept any temporal or spatial division within it.
On August 28, His Eminence the Grand Imam met with the Palestinian President’s Advisor for Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, for the second time this year, where he affirmed Al-Azhar’s support for the resistance of the Palestinian people and their legitimate steadfastness in their just struggle against occupation and colonialism by expanding the establishment of Al-Azhar institutes in Palestine. And increasing Al-Azhar educational scholarships for the people of Palestine, stressing that introducing the issue of Jerusalem and the rights of the Palestinian people is the top priority of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.
On December 3, 2023, His Eminence the Grand Imam met with Mr. Kim Young-hyun, the South Korean ambassador to Cairo, and assured him that Al-Azhar is concerned with the issues of the Islamic world and all of humanity, most importantly the Palestinian issue, and the suffering of the Palestinian people in defending their land and their legitimate rights. We appreciate it. The position of free peoples, especially fair-minded “non-Zionist” Jews, who reject the arrogant practices of the Zionist entity towards the people of Gaza. They declared their rejection of the aggression against innocents and civilians, and its brutality against children, women, the elderly and the innocent, and they refused to target hospitals, churches, homes and shelters for the displaced.
On the 6th of the same month, he met with His Eminence the Undersecretary of Al-Azhar, Mrs. Lamia Qaddour, a member of the German Federal Parliament, where he confirmed to her that Al-Azhar’s position on the events in Gaza is crystal clear. What is happening is a Zionist terrorist aggression and genocide against the Palestinians, and there is a deliberate killing of civilians from Women, children, the elderly, and the youth. There is no justification for killing and exterminating civilians with warplanes, bombing hospitals, and forcible displacement with the closure of all outlets. There is no food, water, or fuel, which proves that what is being done is a full-fledged war crime.

Conferences and speeches in support of the Palestinian cause in international forums

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar’s historic speech before the Security Council
The speech of the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, before the UN Security Council, on June 16, 2023, was one of the bright signs of this year, as the Sheikh of Al-Azhar declared the truth before the entire year when he spoke about what the Palestinian people are suffering from the arrogance of power and the cruelty of the tyrant, amid the silence of society. The International Conference on the rights of this proud people, calling on the Security Council and the international community to accelerate today before tomorrow the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, and to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the violations it is exposed to day after day.