Pakistan, seven Arab-Islamic nations condemn Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa, urge end to violations

• Joint statement denounces settlers’ incursions, Israeli flag-raising and provocative actions at Al-Aqsa

• Ministers say actions violate international law and historical status quo in occupied East Jerusalem

• Reaffirm Al-Aqsa Mosque is an exclusive Muslim place of worship under Jordanian custodianship

• Call on international community to press Israel to halt violations against holy sites

 ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan and seven Arab-Islamic countries on Friday strongly condemned Israel’s escalating actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, denouncing the continued mass incursions by Israeli settlers led by extremist ministers and carried out under the protection of Israeli forces, while calling on the international community to take decisive steps to halt what they described as ongoing violations of the sanctity and historical status of the holy site.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers also condemned the raising of the Israeli flag inside the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the erection of two tents by Israeli police within the compound and other provocative actions, describing them as inflammatory measures that undermine peace efforts and further inflame tensions.

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Joint statement by Foreign Ministers of the group of eight Arab-Islamic states

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The joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The ministers stressed that these provocative and unacceptable actions constituted a flagrant violation of international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo governing the holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.

They strongly condemned what they described as illegal and extremist acts of incitement, organized calls for incursions and acts of violence by Israeli extremist ministers and groups, warning that such actions fuel hatred and extremism while undermining efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.

The ministers further stated that restrictions imposed on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship, together with discriminatory and arbitrary limitations on entry to other religious sites within the Old City, constituted a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and represented an unlawful attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo.

Reaffirming their position on the status of the city, they stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

The foreign ministers also condemned what they described as Israel’s continued and systematic violations and measures aimed at changing the historical, legal and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem, saying such actions sought to undermine the sanctity and status of the city's Islamic and Christian holy places.

Reiterating their categorical rejection of any attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, the ministers stressed the importance of preserving the existing arrangements while recognising the special role of the historical Hashemite custodianship in safeguarding the holy places.

The joint statement further reaffirmed that the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, covering 144 dunams, is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims. It also emphasised that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, remains the sole legal authority responsible for administering the affairs of the holy mosque and regulating entry into the compound.

Calling on Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately remove restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem, the ministers urged it to refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque.

They also called on the international community to adopt a firm and unified position that compels Israel to halt its ongoing violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and to respect the sanctity and legal status of these sacred places.