8 countries, including Türkiye, urge global action to stop Israel’s violations at Jerusalem holy sites

ISTANBUL

Türkiye, Egypt, and six other Muslim-majority countries on Wednesday condemned Israel’s ongoing restrictions on Muslim worshippers’ access to Al-Aqsa during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, urging immediate reversal.

The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar issued a joint statement on the ongoing violations of Israel in Jerusalem.

"Security restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship coupled with discriminatory and arbitrary access restrictions to the other places of worship in the old city constitute a flagrant violation to international law, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship," the statement said.

It urged the global community to take a firm stance to compel Israel to halt violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

"The Ministers affirmed their absolute rejection and condemnation of this illegal and unjustified measure, as well as Israel’s continued provocative actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif and against worshippers. They stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites," the statement further read.

Noting that the entire 144-dunam Al-Aqsa compound is an exclusively Muslim place of worship, the statement affirmed that Jordan’s Waqf authority has sole jurisdiction over its administration and entry.

"The Ministers called on Israel, as the occupying Power, to immediately cease the closure of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, remove access restrictions to the Old City of Jerusalem, and refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers’ access to the mosque," it stated.