A mosque in New York State has publicaly apologized after a guest imam delivered an antisemitic speech calling on Allah to "destroy the Zionist Jews."
On August 9, the Imam, who was not identified, delivered a sermon in Arabic at the sermon at the Islamic Center of Rockland County in which he claimed that Hamas was defeating not only the IDF, but the forces of other Western nations in Gaza.
In video of the sermon, which was shared by MEMRI, the Imam stated, "Oh, Allah, grant victory to our brothers in Gaza and Palestine."
"Guide their shooting, oh lord of the universe. Oh, Allah, destroy the Zionist Jews. Oh, Allah, seize them with a crushing grip," the imam continued.
The Jewish Federation and Foundation of Rockland County, the Rockland Board of Rabbis, and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned the sermon as hateful and inflamatory.
“There is no room for hateful, violent speech like this,” Jewish Federation CEO Ari Rosenblum said. “It is more than alarming; it is threatening to the overwhelming majority of our community who identify with the self-determination of the Jewish people in our ancestral homeland.”
Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY), who represents the District, said in a statement, "I am deeply disturbed by the violent antisemitic remarks espoused by a speaker at the Islamic Center of Rockland. It is my sincere hope that the members of the Islamic Center of Rockland and its leadership will clearly speak out against this disturbing, violent, and antisemitic rhetoric, and that we can use this hateful incident as a bridge toward further dialogue, understanding, and cooperation between our diverse faith communities."
Rep. Lawler added in a post to X, "The antisemitic rhetoric espoused by a recent guest speaker at the Islamic Center of Rockland is shocking and deeply concerning. As someone who has spoken to the Islamic Center on multiple occasions and never encountered such vile hatred, I urge them to swiftly condemn it."
The mosque apologized for the imam's remarks in a post to Facebook on Sunday.
“We unequivocally condemn these statements,” the center stated. “The Islamic Center of Rockland stands firmly against antisemitism and any rhetoric that incites violence or hatred, as we have for the 35 years we have operated in this county alongside other faiths. Our faith teaches us the values of peace, compassion, and justice. We remain committed to fostering a community built on these principles, where dialogue and understanding can pave the way toward a better future for all.”