HANDS OFF AL-AQSA

Eight countries deliver a sharp warning to Israel over holy site violations

Foreign ministers from eight Muslim and Arab nations — the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar — have jointly condemned Israeli settler incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, carried out under the protection of Israeli forces. The raising of the Israeli flag inside the mosque's courtyards drew particular outrage.

"Violation of International Law"

The ministers described the actions as provocative and unacceptable, stating they constitute a clear breach of international law, United Nations resolutions, and the long-established historical and legal status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites. They further condemned what they called Israel's systematic efforts to alter the historical, legal, and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem — targeting both its Islamic and Christian sacred sites.

Who Has the Right to Al-Aqsa?

The ministers were unambiguous: the entire 144-dunam compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims. They affirmed that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department—under Jordan's Ministry of Awqaf—holds sole legal authority to administer and regulate access to the site, reaffirming Jordan's historic Hashemite custodianship.

The eight nations held Israel directly responsible for halting these escalatory actions, warning that continued violations fuel instability, deepen extremism, and sabotage international peace efforts. They called for an immediate and complete halt to all illegal Israeli practices at the holy site. 

The ministers reaffirmed their unconditional support for Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital — consistent with international law, UN resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.