ISLAMABAD/JERUSALEM: Pakistan and seven Arab and Islamic countries have issued a joint statement strongly condemning what they described as provocative actions by Israeli ministers and settlers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning that such measures threaten the historic and legal status of the holy site.
According to the joint statement, an Israeli flag was raised inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, while Israeli ministers, accompanied by security forces, allegedly carried out actions described as inflammatory. The statement also claimed that Israeli police erected two tents within the mosque compound and undertook additional measures considered provocative.
The participating countries called for the immediate removal of restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its holy sites. They urged Israel to refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers and to respect the religious rights of those visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The statement further rejected what it described as attempts to alter the historical, legal, and demographic character of Occupied East Jerusalem, stressing that such actions are unacceptable under international law.
The signatory countries reaffirmed that the entire 144-dunum compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque is an Islamic place of worship and emphasized that the Jordanian Waqf Department is the sole authority responsible for administering the site.
More Read
The joint declaration also called on the international community to take effective measures to prevent what it described as illegal Israeli actions targeting Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and to ensure respect for the city’s historic religious status.
The statement reflects growing concern among Muslim-majority nations over developments at Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites, amid continuing tensions in Jerusalem.
