‘Islam Is Not the Enemy of Israelis’: European Muslim Leaders Visit President Herzog in Historic Gesture
A delegation of Muslim leaders from across Europe visited Israel to promote interfaith understanding and denounce extremism
“Israeli people are not against Islam, not against Muslims. There are millions of Muslims living in the State of Israel with equal rights to the Jewish population,” said Noor Dahri, a counterterrorism expert from the UK, during a meeting last week with President Isaac Herzog.
Dahri, originally from Pakistan, was part of a delegation of 15 Muslim religious figures, chaplains, scholars, and community leaders who came to Jerusalem in an unprecedented show of interfaith support. “There are more than 450 mosques, including Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he continued, “and people are free to exercise religion and celebrate the religious festivals, including Ramadan and eids.”
The gathering took place at the president’s official residence and comes during the ongoing war that began on October 7. What began as a formal meeting turned into a rare emotional moment when one of the imams recited Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikva”, in the melodic style of a Muslim prayer. The room soon erupted into singing and dancing, with President Herzog joining in.
French Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, a longtime advocate for interfaith dialogue, declared, “Islam is not the enemy of Israelis. Muslims are not the enemies of Israelis. The true enemies of both Islam and Israel are extremists like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian regime.”
Speaking in Arabic, Chalghoumi added: “Al-Aqsa Mosque is safe, secure, and open to everyone. That is the most important message. We must revive the Abraham Accords. We must live by the teachings of Islam—a religion of brotherhood, of respect and love. The people of Israel—they are the children of David, Solomon, Isaac, and our Prophet Moses.”
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Islam is not the enemy of Israelis. Muslims are not the enemies of Israelis. The true enemies of both Islam and Israel are extremists like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian regime.
Dahri, who has publicly defended Israel since 2014, warned against the dangers of Islamist violence. “We in Pakistan have already lost nearly 100,000 people in the hands of Islamists. So I think the Pakistanis better understand what the culture of terrorism is.”
Al-Aqsa Mosque is safe, secure, and open to everyone. That is the most important message.
President Herzog welcomed the visitors as “children of Abraham” and referred to the recent Iranian missile attack on Israel. “I saw victims of the Iranian attack brought to the hospital in Beersheba, and the staff—Jews, Muslims, Christians—simply worked together.”
The delegation included participants from France, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, Belgium, and Spain, many of whom were visiting Israel for the first time. Among them were community activists, lecturers, and religious leaders with extensive experience in deradicalization work.
We in Pakistan have already lost nearly 100,000 people in the hands of Islamists. So I think the Pakistanis better understand what the culture of terrorism is.
The initiative was organized by the European Leadership Network, which described the visit as “a historic step” in promoting dialogue where diplomacy has often failed. The group’s itinerary includes stops at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the Knesset, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
