RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab and Islamic countries condemned Israeli occupation authorities’ continued closure of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Haram Sharif in Jerusalem to Muslim worshipers particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. In a joint statement, foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye affirmed their absolute rejection and condemnation of this illegal and unjustified measure, as well as Israel’s continued provocative actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Haram Sharif and against worshipers. They noted that security restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship coupled with discriminatory and arbitrary access restrictions to other places of worship in the old city constitute a flagrant violation to international law, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship. The ministers stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites. “The entire area of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which amounts to 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the affairs of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram Sharif and regulate entry to it,” they pointed out. The ministers called on Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately cease the closure of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, remove access restrictions to the Old City of Jerusalem, and to refrain from obstructing Muslim worshipers’ access to the mosque. They urged the international community to adopt a firm position that compels Israel to halt its ongoing violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as its violations of the sanctity of these holy places.RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab and Islamic countries condemned Israeli occupation authorities’ continued closure of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Haram Sharif in Jerusalem to Muslim worshipers particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. In a joint statement, foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye affirmed their absolute rejection and condemnation of this illegal and unjustified measure, as well as Israel’s continued provocative actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Haram Sharif and against worshipers. They noted that security restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship coupled with discriminatory and arbitrary access restrictions to other places of worship in the old city constitute a flagrant violation to international law, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship. The ministers stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites. “The entire area of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which amounts to 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the affairs of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram Sharif and regulate entry to it,” they pointed out. The ministers called on Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately cease the closure of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, remove access restrictions to the Old City of Jerusalem, and to refrain from obstructing Muslim worshipers’ access to the mosque. They urged the international community to adopt a firm position that compels Israel to halt its ongoing violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as its violations of the sanctity of these holy places.
