ISLAMABAD – Jul 24 /DNA/ – In a rare and unified display of diplomatic solidarity, the Foreign Ministers of eight Islamic nations—Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—issued a joint statement on Thursday condemning in the strongest terms what they described as Israel’s “provocative and unacceptable” escalation at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

The high-level condemnation, released from Islamabad, follows a series of events that have heightened tensions in the Old City, including the mass incursion of Israeli settlers into the holy site under the protection of Israeli forces. The ministers specifically highlighted the participation of extremist Israeli ministers in these incursions, the raising of the Israeli flag within the mosque’s courtyards, and the erection of two tents by Israeli police, which they characterized as blatant provocations.

“Flagrant Violation of International Law”

The joint statement asserted that these actions constitute a “flagrant violation of international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo” governing the holy sites in East Jerusalem. The ministers stressed that Israel has “no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites,” reaffirming their categorical rejection of any attempts to alter the city’s legal, historical, and demographic character.

The Foreign Ministers further deplored what they termed “illegal and extremist acts of incitement” by Israeli officials and groups, warning that such actions fuel hatred, extremism, and obstruct the path to a just and lasting peace based on the two-State solution.

Emphasis on Hashemite Custodianship and Jordanian Jurisdiction

In a key paragraph of the statement, the ministers reiterated that the entire 144-dunum area of Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al Haram Al Sharif is “a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.” They underscored that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, which operates under the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the sole legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the mosque’s affairs and regulate entry.

The ministers acknowledged the “special role of the historical Hashemite custodianship” in preserving the sanctity and status of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

Call for International Action

The joint statement called on Israel, as the occupying Power, to immediately remove access restrictions to the Old City of Jerusalem and to refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers’ access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It also urged the international community to adopt a firm and unified position to compel Israel to halt its ongoing violations and illegal practices against the holy sites.

The meeting in Islamabad, which concluded today, signals a concerted diplomatic effort by the Muslim world to push back against Israeli actions in Jerusalem and to rally international support for preserving the existing legal and historical arrangements at one of the most sensitive religious sites in the Middle East.