The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement on Friday condemning what they described as escalating Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque. They criticised continued mass incursions by Israeli settlers, led by extremist Israeli ministers under the protection of Israeli forces.

The ministers also condemned the raising of the Israeli flag inside the mosque’s courtyards, the installation of two tents by Israeli police, and other actions they described as provocative. They said these measures violated international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo governing the holy site in occupied East Jerusalem.

The joint statement denounced what it called illegal incitement and mobilisation by extremist Israeli ministers and groups. The ministers warned that such actions could increase hatred and extremism while weakening efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.

The eight countries also expressed concern over restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s Old City and its places of worship. They described the restrictions as violations of international law, including international humanitarian law, and said they aimed to alter the historical and legal status of the city’s holy sites.

The ministers reiterated that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy places. They also condemned what they described as systematic efforts to change the historical, legal and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem and undermine the sanctity of its religious sites.

Reaffirming their commitment to preserving the existing status quo, the ministers recognised the special role of the Hashemite custodianship in protecting Jerusalem’s holy places. They stated that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, covering 144 dunams, remains exclusively a Muslim place of worship.

The statement also reaffirmed that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, which operates under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legal authority responsible for administering the mosque and regulating entry.

The foreign ministers called on Israel to immediately lift restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s Old City and stop preventing Muslim worshippers from entering the mosque. They also urged the international community to take a firm stance to end what they described as ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

The ministers concluded that protecting the sanctity and historical status of Jerusalem’s holy sites remains essential for regional stability and any future efforts to achieve lasting peace.