The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites, by mobs of Israelis led by Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and called on the Biden administration to stop enabling this “increasingly radical and openly genocidal” government’s attempts to spark global religious war.
Israeli crowds stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, as well as villages in the occupied West Bank, as they marked a Jewish holiday. Itamar Ben-Gvir led a crowd of thousands into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and performed prayers. Israeli police reportedly offered protection to those who stormed Al-Aqsa and to illegal Israeli settlers involved in violence in the West Bank.
SEE: Israeli crowds storm Al-Aqsa Mosque, West Bank villages, on Jewish holiday
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“The Biden administration must condemn the Israeli government’s brazen assault on one of Islam’s holiest places, which flagrantly violated international agreements governing the site.
“Backed by the Israeli military, far-right terrorist sympathizer and Israeli government minister Ben-Gvir is trying to spark a religious war in the heart of Jerusalem and prolong the genocide in Gaza.
“Unless the Biden administration stops enabling this increasingly radical and openly genocidal government, Ben-Gvir may soon get his terrible wish.”
In June, CAIR condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli extremists ahead of the Israeli Flag Day parade.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR also condemned racist chants, including “Death to Arabs,” by Israeli extremists in Jerusalem and assaults on journalists during the Flag Day parade.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com