A mosque in the Dutch city of Alkmaar fired its imam after he visited Israel with other Muslim faith leaders from Europe, the institution’s board said on Tuesday.
The Bilal Mosque in Alkmaar told the Islam Omroep, a Dutch-Muslim news site, that Imam Youssef Msibih was “immediately removed” from his position.
“You represent the world of brotherhood, humanity, and liberty”. The words of Imam Hassen Chalghoumi from France to me today.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) July 7, 2025
I was moved and inspired to meet him and a delegation led by @elnet_global of Imams and Muslim community leaders from across Europe. They stand bravely… pic.twitter.com/gpJja2tQne
The dismissal comes just days after Msibih participated in a delegation of 15 imams and Muslim leaders from France, Italy, Holland, Belgium and the UK who paid a rare visit to Israel.
During the trip, Msibih made headlines on social media for singing an Arabic-language rendition of the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah.
The delegation met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and visited sites connected to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, including Kibbutz Kfar Aza near the Gaza Strip.
The trip was organised by the European Leadership Network, a pro-Israel policy group.
In his meeting with the delegation, Herzog praised their visit as a “sign of moral courage”. He thanked the group for “standing up against hatred” and expressed hope for peace, the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, and relief for civilians suffering in the war zone.
French Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, a prominent figure in interfaith dialogue, told Herzog: “The war after October 7 is not between Israel and Hamas – it’s between two worlds: one of light and one of darkness. … You represent the world of humanity and democracy.”
While the visit was hailed by some as a courageous gesture of solidarity and bridge-building, it also sparked backlash. Chalghoumi said some of the visitors had received threats from anti-Israel groups.
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