Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have strongly condemned Israel's continued closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the 12th consecutive day during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the eight Arab and Islamic countries asserted that Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship constitute a "flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship".
The statement read, "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." It added that the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque is "exclusively" for Muslims and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the "legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction".
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, while also urging the international community to compel Israel to stop its "ongoing violations". Israeli forces have imposed strict restrictions on worshippers and access to the Old City, citing "security" measures as a result of the ongoing war against Iran, a move that critics argue exacerbates tensions in the region.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday that the continued closure emphasizes the policies as a "blatant violation of Palestinian rights", as reported by the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Hamas has also condemned the continued closure, saying on Tuesday that it sets a "dangerous historical precedent" and a "blatant violation" of the freedom of worship. This development highlights the deepening friction in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with potential implications for regional stability amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.
Source: www.aljazeera.com