Int’l reactions to Israel’s aggression against Gaza ‘disappointing’: Egypt’s Al-Azhar

By Ibrahim Khazin

CAIRO (AA) – The grand imam of Egypt's Al-Azhar University, the highest seat of learning for Sunni Muslims, said Sunday that the international community's reactions to Israel’s war on Gaza have been “disappointing.”

Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb’s remarks came during his reception of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is visiting Cairo, according to a statement from Al-Azhar.

The two men discussed the latest developments in Gaza, it said.

Al-Tayeb said that “what is happening in Gaza threatens to undermine the efforts of communication and rapprochement that we have been undertaking for years and attempts to bridge the gap between East and West.”

The international community's response to the aggression on Gaza has been disappointing and frustrating, unlike that of the people in Western societies, he added.

The grand imam praised the stance of the people, saying “we have seen great fairness from Western and American peoples, and even from some fair-minded Jews who came out to demand an end to the aggression on Gaza.”

The Egyptian statement quoted Guterres as saying: “I convey our appreciation to Al-Azhar as a strong voice defending and supporting the Palestinian people and our insistence on exerting pressure on the international community to respect the rights of Palestinians and reduce their suffering.”

“Yesterday, I visited the Rafah crossing to send a message about the necessity of stopping the aggression and for the international community to fulfill its duties with decisions and not just words.

“I saw on the other side of the Palestinian crossing the Palestinians suffering from severe shortages of food and drink and the spread of various infectious diseases. We all have to highlight and stop this suffering immediately. It is our responsibility,” he added.

Guterres emphasized that “Islamophobia has developed significantly and has become one of the most widespread forms of discrimination and hatred, aided by modern technological developments.”

He cited the situation in Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine and other parts of Africa, saying “I do not recall a more dangerous period than what we are experiencing now.”

He also stressed his continued support for justice in Gaza, adding that “no one will be able to silence his voice.”

Guterres arrived Saturday in the Egyptian city of El-Arish adjacent to the Gaza Strip on his second visit since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza last October and visited wounded Palestinians who were transferred from the Gaza Strip for treatment at the city's hospital.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Palestinian territory since a cross-border attack led by the Palestinian group Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed.

More than 32,200 Palestinians have since been killed and over 74,500 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala