Canadian Muslims for Palestine (CMP) condemns in the strongest terms the latest storming of the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque, where over 4 000 illegal settlers escorted by Israel Occupation Forces (IOF)—accompanied by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir—entered the compound and assaulted Palestinian worshippers mid prayer.
These actions are part of a sustained effort to weaken the Islamic identity of Al Aqsa, displace Palestinians from occupied East Jerusalem, and assert full Israeli control over Islam’s third holiest site.
Ben Gvir told the press, “We are seeing tremendous progress on the Temple Mount. Look at what’s happening here. Jews are praying and feel they are owners of this place. This has never happened before.”
Recent warnings from the Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate about organized settler attempts to conduct animal sacrifices near Al Aqsa or banning worshippers from entering the grounds this past Ramadaan further illustrate the deliberate provocation and escalation surrounding the compound.
International law is clear: Israel, as an occupying power, has no authority to alter religious or cultural sites or undermine the Waqf’s custodianship.
These violations occur alongside widespread brutality against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, where settler militias continue to attack and forcibly displace families.
As Israeli aggression intensifies, Canada must confront its own responsibilities. Canada’s diplomatic, economic, and military relationships must not enable violations of international law or the desecration of Muslim and Christian holy sites. Canadian Muslims, alongside many communities across this country, expect our government to uphold the principles it claims to champion: human rights, rule of law, and the protection of civilians.
CMP condemns the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque and calls on the Government of Canada to take a clear, principled, and unequivocal stand against Israel’s ongoing violations across occupied Palestinian territories. We further urge an immediate end to all forms of Canadian support—direct or indirect—that allow these abuses to continue.
