Dutch Imam Suspended After Controversial Visit to Israel and Meeting with President Herzog

Image: Jihad Watch

In a move that has sparked significant controversy within the Muslim community in the Netherlands, a prominent imam has been suspended from his position following a visit to Israel and a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Youssef Msibih, who served as an imam at the Bilal Mosque in Alkmaar, a city in the northern Netherlands, was part of a 15-member delegation of Muslim religious leaders from across Europe who traveled to Israel earlier this week.

The delegation's visit, organized by Elnet—a non-governmental organization that aims to foster stronger ties between Europe and Israel—included several high-profile meetings and visits to key religious and political sites. Among the most notable moments was the group’s meeting with President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on Monday. During the meeting, Msibih reportedly performed a unique rendition of the Israeli national anthem, reinterpreted and sung in Arabic, which drew mixed reactions from various communities.

The Bilal Mosque responded swiftly to the growing backlash. On Tuesday morning, the mosque’s administration released an official statement via Instagram announcing Msibih’s immediate suspension. “Following recent political statements by the imam, the board has decided to suspend him with immediate effect. As of this moment, the institution has no relationship with him,” the statement read. While the mosque did not explicitly name the reasons, it was widely understood that the visit to Israel and the imam’s visible participation in pro-Israel gestures were seen as unacceptable by the mosque’s leadership and a segment of the Dutch Muslim community.

The delegation's itinerary included visits to the Israeli Knesset (parliament), as well as significant Muslim, Christian, and Jewish religious sites located in the Old City of East Jerusalem—a region internationally recognized as occupied territory. In the days ahead, the group is expected to visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s official Holocaust memorial, and engage with Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces.

Additionally, the delegation plans to meet families of Palestinian Bedouins who were held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, as well as members of the Syrian Druze community in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, whose relatives were killed in suspected Hezbollah rocket attacks. These engagements indicate a broader attempt by the organizers to create dialogue between communities affected by regional conflicts, though the visit has clearly stirred intense political sensitivities.

The suspension of Imam Msibih highlights the ongoing tensions within European Muslim communities over the question of engagement with Israel. While some see interfaith and diplomatic efforts as a step toward mutual understanding, others view such actions—particularly when they involve symbols of the Israeli state—as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. The fallout from this visit underscores just how deeply polarized the issue remains.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)