ISLAMABAD: In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Türkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned and rejected the continued restrictions imposed by Israel on the freedom of worship for Muslims and Christians in occupied Jerusalem, the foreign office (FO) of Qatar said on Tuesday.
“These continued Israeli measures constitute a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as of the legal and historical status quo, and represent an infringement on the unrestricted right of access to places of worship,” the Qatari foreign office said in a statement.
Israel restricted Muslim worshippers from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custos of the Holy Land from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass.
Muslim countries reaffirmed their rejection of Israeli restrictions targeting Muslims and Christians, including preventing Christians from freely accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to perform religious rituals, and urged Israel to immediately reopen Al-Aqsa Mosque, remove restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s Old City, and refrain from obstructing worshippers.
They called on Israel to immediately reopen Al-Aqsa Mosque, remove restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s Old City, and refrain from obstructing worshippers.
The statement stressed the need to respect the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites, adding that Israel, as the occupying power, holds no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem.
The ministers also condemned the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers for 30 consecutive days, including during the holy month of Ramadan, describing it as a serious violation of international law and Israel’s obligations as an occupying power.
They warned of the risks such measures pose to regional and international peace and security.
Earlier, Pakistan condemned Israel's continued closure of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslim worshippers, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
Last month, Israel imposed restrictions on Palestinian worshippers from the occupied West Bank attending weekly Friday prayers at the mosque, and capped the number of worshippers at 10,000 during Ramadan. Israeli police also deployed around the mosque in force.
The ministers reaffirmed that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Awqaf Department under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf is the legal authority responsible for its administration and regulating access.
The foreign ministers also urged the international community to take a firm stance to compel Israel to end its violations and unlawful practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites.
