Countries reject changes to holy sites and call for protection of Jerusalem

By Sadiq Abdulfatah

The foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt have condemned what they called repeated Israeli violations at holy sites in Jerusalem.

In a joint statement, the ministers criticised continued entries into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli settlers and officials under police protection. They also condemned the raising of the Israeli flag inside the mosque area, calling it a serious provocation.

They said these actions break international law and are offensive to Muslims around the world. The ministers strongly rejected any attempt to change the long-standing status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

They also stressed the need to protect this status and recognised the special role of Jordan in taking care of the holy sites.

The ministers said the entire Al-Aqsa compound, which covers 144 dunums, is a place of worship only for Muslims. They added that the Jerusalem Waqf, under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, is the only authority allowed to manage the mosque and control access to it.

They also condemned Israel’s approval of more than 30 new settlements, saying it violates international law, UN resolutions, and a 2024 opinion by the International Court of Justice.

The ministers further condemned increasing settler violence in the occupied West Bank, including attacks on schools and children, and called for those responsible to be punished.

They stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian land and rejected any attempts to take the land or force Palestinians to leave.

They warned that such actions harm efforts to create a Palestinian state and weaken the two-state solution, while increasing tension and blocking peace efforts.

The ministers called on the international community to take action, stop the violations, and work toward a peaceful solution.

They also repeated their support for the rights of Palestinians, including their right to have an independent state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Source: Qatar Tribune