THE foreign ministers of eight Muslim-majority nations have issued a joint statement condemning what they described as repeated and provocative incursions by extremist Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif in occupied East Jerusalem, carried out under the protection of Israeli security forces.
The statement, released from Doha, was signed by the foreign ministers of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia — representing a broad coalition spanning the Arab world, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
The ministers said the raising of the Israeli flag within the courtyards of the compound — one of Islam’s holiest sites — constituted “a flagrant violation of international law,” relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo governing the holy sites of occupied East Jerusalem.
They further condemned what they characterised as systematic Israeli measures designed to alter the historical, legal, and demographic character of East Jerusalem, including actions threatening both Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city.
The statement reaffirmed that Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, encompassing 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department — affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs — holds exclusive jurisdiction to administer and regulate access to the compound. The ministers stressed their recognition of Jordan’s special Hashemite custodianship role over the holy sites.
The eight governments held Israeli authorities directly responsible for halting what they termed “escalatory actions,” warning that continued violations deepen instability, fuel extremism, undermine international peace efforts, and constitute a clear breach of Israel’s obligations under international law.
“Repeated Israeli violations exacerbate tensions, fuel instability and extremism, and undermine international efforts to achieve peace,” the statement read.
The ministers called for an immediate end to all such practices and reiterated their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their support for Palestinian self-determination — including the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The joint statement reaffirmed support for a two-state solution in accordance with international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.
The declaration comes amid intensifying international concern over the situation in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and underscores growing multilateral pressure on Israel over its conduct at Jerusalem’s holy sites.
