ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, along with seven other Muslim countries, has strongly condemned what it described as the continued incursions by extremist Israeli settlers into the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, calling for an immediate end to all such actions.
According to a joint statement issued by the Foreign Office, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates denounced the incidents and the raising of Israeli flags within the mosque’s courtyards.
Call to preserve status quo
The ministers said such actions violate international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and the historical and legal status of holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.
They reiterated their rejection of any attempts to alter the existing status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, while reaffirming support for the Hashemite custodianship of the sacred sites.
Concerns over rising tensions
The statement held Israeli authorities responsible for preventing actions that could further inflame tensions, warning that repeated violations risk increasing instability and undermining international efforts aimed at achieving peace.
The ministers called for an immediate halt to what they described as illegal and provocative practices and stressed the importance of respecting the historical and legal status of Al Aqsa Mosque.
Palestine Bleeds, and The Muslim World Watches in Silence
Support for Palestinian rights
The participating countries reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
They also reiterated support for a just and lasting resolution of the conflict through a two-state solution in line with international law, UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
