An Arab Islamic Statement Condemns Repeated Israeli Violations of Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem

SadaNews - The foreign ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, condemned the repeated violations of the historical and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem by the Israeli occupation authorities, particularly the ongoing incursions into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Qudsi Al-Sharif by Israeli settlers and extremist ministers under the protection of the Israeli police, as well as the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards. The ministers reiterated that these provocative actions in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Qudsi Al-Sharif constitute a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, represent an unacceptable provocation to Muslims worldwide, and a gross violation of the sanctity of the holy city. The ministers firmly rejected any attempts aimed at changing the existing historical and legal status in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. They stressed the necessity of maintaining it, acknowledging the special role of the historical Hashemite guardianship in this regard. The ministers also reaffirmed that the entire area of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Qudsi Al-Sharif, which covers 144 dunams, is solely a place of worship for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Holy Sites, is the legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction over managing the mosque’s affairs and regulating access to it. The ministers condemned all illegal settler activities, including Israel's decision to approve more than 30 new settlements, which is considered a blatant violation of international law, including UN Security Council resolutions and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in 2024. The ministers also condemned the escalation of settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including recent attacks on schools and Palestinian children, calling for accountability for those responsible. They emphasized that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian land, reaffirming their absolute rejection of any attempts to annex it or displace the Palestinian people. The ministers stressed that these measures represent a direct and systematic assault on the viability of the Palestinian state and on the implementation of the two-state solution. They also escalate tensions, undermine peace efforts, and obstruct ongoing initiatives aimed at de-escalation and restoring stability. The ministers renewed their call for the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities, compelling Israel to stop its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank, and to put an end to its illegal practices. They urged the international community to undertake its responsibilities and take clear and decisive steps to stop these violations, and to intensify all regional and international efforts to push towards a political solution that achieves comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution. The ministers also renewed their steadfast support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.