Joint 'Jerusalem' statement from Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE

The foreign ministers of the Republic of Türkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have condemned and rejected in the strongest terms the ongoing restrictions imposed by Israel on freedom of worship for Muslims and Christians in occupied Jerusalem, including the obstruction of Muslims' access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (Haram al-Sharif) for worship, and the prevention of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custos of the Holy Land from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to conduct the Palm Sunday service. The joint press statement issued by the foreign ministers of the 8 countries included the following:

"The Ministers reiterated their condemnation and rejection of all Israeli attempts to alter the legal and historical status quo regarding the holy sites belonging to Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem.

These ongoing Israeli practices constitute a clear violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as the existing legal and historical status quo, and represent an infringement on the right to unimpeded access to places of worship. The Ministers confirmed their firm rejection of unlawful and restrictive Israeli practices against Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem, including the obstruction of free access for Christians to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to perform their religious rites. The Ministers emphasized the necessity of respecting the existing historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites, reiterated that the occupying power, Israel, has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem, and underscored that all practices preventing worshippers from accessing their places of worship in Jerusalem must cease.

The Ministers once again condemned Israel's closure of the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif to worshippers for 30 consecutive days, including during the holy month of Ramadan, and its restriction of freedom of worship; they stated that this constitutes a serious violation of international law, the existing legal and historical status quo, and the obligations of the occupying power, Israel. The Ministers warned of the dangers these escalatory measures pose to regional and international peace and security.

The Ministers reiterated that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif, covering an area of 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims; they emphasized that the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Administration, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the exclusive legal authority with the mandate to manage the affairs of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif and regulate access to it.

The Ministers called on the occupying power, Israel, to immediately end the closure of the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif, lift restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem, and refrain from obstructing Muslims' access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif.

The Ministers also called on the international community to adopt a firm stance that would compel Israel to end its ongoing violations and unlawful practices aimed at undermining the sanctity of the holy sites belonging to Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem."

News Source: 12punto