Foreign ministers from eight Muslim-majority countries have condemned Israeli authorities for closing the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslim worshippers, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, calling the move a serious violation of international law and religious freedoms.
Several foreign media outlets reported on Thursday that in a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar expressed strong rejection of continued restrictions imposed on access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and the Old City of Jerusalem.
The ministers said that security restrictions limiting entry to places of worship, alongside what they described as discriminatory and arbitrary access controls, constituted a “flagrant violation” of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as the historical and legal status quo governing Jerusalem’s holy sites.
They stressed that unrestricted access to places of worship must be ensured for all believers.
The joint statement reaffirmed the countries’ absolute condemnation of what they termed illegal and unjustified measures by Israeli authorities, including continued provocative actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and against worshippers.
The ministers emphasised that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
They reiterated that the entire 144-dunam area of Al-Aqsa Mosque is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims and underscored that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, remains the sole legal authority responsible for administering the mosque and regulating access.
Calling for urgent action, the ministers urged Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately reopen the mosque’s gates, remove restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem, and refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers.
The statement also appealed to the international community to adopt a firm stance to compel Israel to halt what it described as ongoing violations and illegal practices targeting Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and to safeguard the sanctity of these religious places
