8 nations denounce Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa compound, warn of status quo threat
A coalition of foreign ministers from eight Muslim-majority countries issued a joint statement condemning Israeli escalations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, warning that incursions and flag-raising violate international law and threaten the historic status of Jerusalem's holy sites.
Eight nations, including Saudi Arabia, condemn Israeli escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Top diplomats from eight nations rejected efforts to alter the long-standing arrangements at Jerusalem's sacred sites.
The joint statement marks one of the broadest diplomatic rebukes of Israeli policy at the contested site in recent months.
July 24, 2026 | 06:14 PM
July 24, 2026 | 06:14 PM
Last Updated: July 24, 2026 | 06:14 PM
3 minute read
AA
Resize
RIYADH — The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Türkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates strongly condemned Israel's escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, warning that recent actions threaten the historic and legal status quo at the holy site.
The ministers denounced repeated incursions by Israeli settlers into the mosque compound, accompanied by Israeli security forces, including visits by government ministers, the hoisting of the Israeli flag inside the site, and the placement of two police tents.
These actions, the statement noted, amount to a clear breach of international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the historic and legal framework that governs holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.
They also criticized inflammatory rhetoric and calls encouraging incursions and violence from Israeli extremist ministers and groups, warning such behavior fuels hatred and extremism and hampers progress toward a just, lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
The statement also criticized restrictions on access to Jerusalem's Old City and its places of worship, saying discriminatory measures limiting access violate international law, including international humanitarian law, and represent an attempt to alter the historic and legal status quo.
The ministers reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites and condemned the continued Israeli measures aimed at changing the historical, legal and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem.
They reiterated their rejection of any attempt to alter the status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites and emphasized the importance of preserving the historic Hashemite Custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy places.
The ministers stressed that the entire 144-dunum compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims and reaffirmed that the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the sole legal authority responsible for administering the site and regulating access.
They called on Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately remove restrictions on access to Jerusalem's Old City, refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque and halt actions they said violate the sanctity of Islamic and Christian holy sites.
The ministers also urged the international community to adopt a firm position that compels Israel to end the ongoing violations and illegal practices against the holy sites in Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The status quo, established after 1967, permits Muslim worship and non-Muslim visits but not prayer. Recent changes have drawn repeated international condemnation. The ministers' warning underscores the risk of broader violence if unilateral steps continue.
Original source: Saudi Gazette
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment.