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Morocco World
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Mosque in Netherlands Suspends Imam After Jerusalem Visit, Meeting with Israel President
Rabat – The Bilal Mosque in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, has announced the immediate suspension of Imam Youssef Msibih following his controversial meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem. Reports identified the suspended cleric as a Moroccan-Dutch imam, who was suspended from his duties after he joined a delegation of European Muslim leaders who met with Herzog on July 7. The European Leadership Network, an NGO that advocates for ties between Europe and Israel, organized the event. The visit sparked outrage and frustration among pro-Palestinians, who demanded an explanation from the mosque. In response, the mosque issued a statement in which it stressed that 'there is no place for the imam within the mosque.' The mosque's 'board bears no responsibility whatsoever for his statements or actions outside the mosque,' the statement added, noting that there is no longer any formal or substantive ties between the imam and the Bilal Alkmaar Mosque. Emphasizing that the case of the imam has already been addressed, the mosque emphasized that the suspended cleric acted in a personal capacity. 'His actions are entirely separate from the vision of the mosque,' the statement said, urging everyone not to place pressure on or interfere with the mosque's board, or its volunteers and members. The statement highlighted that the mosque promotes peace, adding that the deliberate spreading of rumors and false information could have serious consequences. It also warned that it explicitly reserves the right to take appropriate legal action in cases of defamation, slander, or incitement against individuals or groups who endanger the peace, dignity, or safety of the mosque or its community. Tags: imamIslam in the Netherlands
Ya Biladi
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Moroccan-Dutch imam suspended after controversial visit to Israel and meeting with Herzog
Moroccan-Dutch imam Youssef Msibih has made headlines this week following a controversial visit to Israel. Msibih, who had been serving at the Bilal Mosque in Alkmaar, Netherlands, was suspended from his duties after joining a delegation of European Muslim leaders that met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on July 7. The visit was organized by the European Leadership Network (ELNET), an NGO «dedicated to strengthening Europe-Israel relations». The Bilal Mosque responded swiftly, announcing on Instagram that its board had suspended Msibih «with immediate effect». In a follow-up statement published on its website, the mosque clarified: «There is no place for the imam within the mosque. The board bears no responsibility for his statements or actions outside the mosque. There is no longer any formal or substantive relationship between him and the Bilal Alkmaar Mosque». The statement stressed that Msibih acted «in a personal capacity and completely separate from the vision of the mosque and its community», adding: «There is no room for troublemakers or division». Photos and video footage shared by the Israeli President's official X (formerly Twitter) account show Msibih dressed in traditional Moroccan attire, singing a reinterpreted version of the Israeli national anthem in Arabic during the meeting. The delegation included 15 Muslim religious figures from across Europe—France, Italy, Belgium, the UK, and the Netherlands. Their itinerary featured visits to the Knesset, religious sites in East Jerusalem, and meetings with Israeli military officials and survivors of attacks. They are also scheduled to visit Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial, and the site of an Iranian missile strike in Tel Aviv. President Isaac Herzog welcomed the group by underscoring the importance of Jewish-Muslim dialogue, framing the visit as a symbol of progress against «radical forces». 'You represent the world of brotherhood, humanity, and liberty'. The words of Imam Hassen Chalghoumi from France to me today. I was moved and inspired to meet him and a delegation led by @elnet_global of Imams and Muslim community leaders from across Europe. They stand bravely… — יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) July 7, 2025 Another Moroccan imam The group was led by Hassen Chalghoumi, a polarizing imam from Drancy, France, known for his pro-Israel stance. Other members included Noor Dahri, a UK-based counterterrorism commentator affiliated with the Henry Jackson Society, and Ali El Aarja, an imam of Moroccan descent based in Turin, Italy. Speaking to the Times of Israel, El Aarja, who heads the newly formed Italian Islamic Confederation (CIIN), said that «Morocco is a country open to all religions: Muslims, Christians, and Jews live together. We are here to send a message of peace—for our Palestinian brothers and our Jewish brothers. We do not want war; we hope we can return to dialogue». The Times of Israel also noted that Youssef Msibih has served as a religious leader in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway for nearly 20 years. According to a biography shared by ELNET, Msibih pursued Islamic studies at Al-Azhar University in Egypt before continuing his training at the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams and Mourchidines in Rabat, Morocco. A visit denounced in the Netherlands and Morocco The visit triggered strong backlash from Muslim clerics in the Netherlands. On July 7, the Initiative of Imams and Preachers in the Netherlands issued a scathing condemnation, calling the trip a «morally reprehensible act» that violates the principles of Islam and human dignity. The body accused the delegation of helping the «Zionist occupation regime» whitewash its image «tainted with the blood of innocent men, women, and children». Meanwhile in Morocco, The Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization condemned the visit as a «beyond-normalization crime», calling it a betrayal of religion and human values amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.
