Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb issued an urgent appeal calling for the immediate formation of an Arab and Islamic mediation committee to defuse ongoing regional conflicts and halt all acts of war.

In a Sunday statement, El-Tayeb urged Arab and Muslim nations to prioritize reason, dialogue, and shared bonds to bring about a comprehensive cessation of fighting and protect innocent lives.

The proposed “Mediation and De-escalation Committee” will comprise respected, wise figures from across the Arab and Muslim worlds tasked with bridging differences, resolving disputes, and safeguarding national sovereignty.

El-Tayeb reaffirmed Al-Azhar’s full readiness to support the committee’s peace mission, expressing confidence in the capacity of all parties to overcome differences and prevent further bloodshed.

Al-Azhar is the Sunni Muslim world’s most prestigious institution, and the de-escalatory statement comes after President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi called on the parliament to discuss an Egyptian defensive intervention in Saudi Arabia against attacks on the kingdom, mostly coming from the Houthis in Yemen.