Pakistan, seven Muslim nations condemn Israel over Jerusalem worship restrictions

• Joint statement cites restrictions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Church of the Holy Sepulchre during Ramadan, Palm Sunday

• Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Türkiye, Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar call actions a flagrant violation of international law, urging Israel to lift restrictions and respect historic status quo

• European leaders recently condemned barring of Palm Sunday Mass amid calls for protection of religious freedoms

 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and seven other Muslim-majority countries on Tuesday condemned Israel’s restrictions on Muslim and Christian worship in Jerusalem, including limiting access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and barring clergy from leading Palm Sunday prayers at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Jerusalem, sacred to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, has been at the center of heightened tensions since Israel began its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam’s third-holiest site, while the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is revered by Christians as the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Türkiye, Jordan, and Egypt condemned Israel’s latest restrictions, which coincided with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Christian observance of Palm Sunday, calling them a violation of international law.

🔊PR No.8️⃣4️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣

Joint Statement on the Continued Restrictions Imposed by Israel on the Freedom of Worship for Christians and Muslims

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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 31, 2026

“The Foreign Ministers … condemned, in the strongest terms, and reject the continued restrictions imposed by Israel on the freedom of worship for Muslims and Christians in occupied Jerusalem,” the statement said.

“These continued Israeli measures constitute a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as the legal and historical status quo, and represent an infringement on the unrestricted right of access to places of worship,” it added.

The ministers affirmed their “absolute rejection of the illegal and restrictive Israeli measures against Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem, including preventing Christians from freely accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to perform their religious rites.”

They also condemned the closure of Al-Aqsa’s gates for 30 consecutive days, including during Ramadan, warning that such measures risk further destabilizing the region.

The statement stressed that Israel, as an occupying power, should immediately lift restrictions on worshippers and allow access to all religious sites. It also reaffirmed that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims and falls under the jurisdiction of Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

The ministers urged the international community to take a firm position to compel Israel to halt what they described as ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy places.

Several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, also voiced concern after the Palm Sunday Mass could not be held in Jerusalem.