ISLAMABAD: Tensions over Al-Aqsa Mosque have drawn a strong response from eight Arab-Islamic countries, which have condemned Israeli actions at the holy site and called for the protection of its historical and legal status.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates strongly condemned the Israeli escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly the continued mass incursions by Israeli settlers led by extremist Israeli ministers under the protection of Israeli forces.
The foreign ministers also condemned the raising of the Israeli flag inside the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the installation of two tents by Israeli police, and other actions they described as provocative and inflammatory.
They stated that these measures constituted a violation of international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo of the holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.
The ministers condemned what they called illegal and extremist acts of incitement, mobilisation for further incursions and violence by Israeli extremist ministers and groups.
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They warned that such actions could fuel hatred and extremism while obstructing efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
The statement also expressed concern over restrictions imposed on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship, describing them as a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law.
The foreign ministers said such restrictions represented an attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo of the holy sites and stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy places.
They further condemned what they described as continued and systematic measures aimed at changing the historical, legal and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem and undermining the sanctity of Islamic and Christian holy sites.
The ministers reaffirmed their rejection of any attempts to alter the existing status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, while recognising the special role of the historical Hashemite custodianship in preserving them.
They reiterated that the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif, covering 144 dunams, is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims.
They also stated that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legal authority responsible for administering the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque and regulating entry to the site.
The foreign ministers called on Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately remove restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers from entering the mosque.
They also urged the international community to adopt a firm stance to compel Israel to halt what they described as ongoing violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
The ministers stressed that protecting the sanctity and status of Jerusalem’s holy sites remains essential for regional stability and efforts toward lasting peace.
