Eight Arab and Islamic countries have condemned Israel’s continued closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan for the 12th consecutive day.
The countries include Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, according to Al Jazeera report.
In a statement Wednesday, their foreign ministers called Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian access to Jerusalem’s Old City and its holy sites a “flagrant violation of international law, including humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship.”
“The Ministers strongly rejected and condemned this illegal measure and Israel’s provocative actions against worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif,” the statement read, emphasizing that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
The ministers reaffirmed that Al-Aqsa Mosque remains “exclusively” for Muslims, under the jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs department affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. They urged Israel to immediately reopen the mosque, lift restrictions on the Old City, and allow Muslim worshippers unrestricted access.
Palestinian authorities and Hamas have also condemned the closure, calling it a violation of Palestinian rights and a “dangerous historical precedent” undermining freedom of worship.