The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) condemns the storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by government officials, Knesset members, and over 1,500 extremist settlers on Monday, 26 May 2025.
This brazen assault on Islam’s third-holiest site represents a violation of international law and a deliberate desecration of one of the most sacred sites in the Muslim world. Ben-Gvir’s inflammatory visit with fellow hard-right extremists constitutes a calculated provocation designed to inflame religious tensions and impose a new reality on the ground. This assault on the Al-Aqsa precinct occurs alongside Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, where over 55,000 Palestinians have been systematically murdered, and its escalating violence across the occupied West Bank. These actions demonstrate a pattern of complete disregard for Palestinian life, dignity, and religious rights that renders Israel a pariah state deserving of international isolation. The sanctity of religious sites is a cornerstone of civilised society. When a state systematically violates such sacred spaces whilst conducting mass murder against an occupied population, it forfeits its right to be treated as a legitimate member of the international community.
A spokesperson for the MCB said: “Israel’s desecration of Islam’s third holiest sanctuary whilst conducting genocide in Gaza proves it is a rogue state that must face the full force of international law – no civilised nation can continue business as usual with a regime that violates the most sacred principles of humanity. Enough is enough.”
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Notes to editors:
- For any media enquiries, contact: media@mcb.org.uk
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is the UK’s largest and most diverse Muslim umbrella organisation with membership spanning national, regional local organisations, mosques, charities and professional networks. It is independent, cross-sectarian and democratic with the leadership team accountable to the membership.