Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites
Pakistan and seven Arab-Islamic countries on Friday condemned what they called Israel’s “blatant violation” of the historical and legal status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, denouncing continued settler incursions led by extremist Israeli ministers under military protection and warning that these actions undermine international law and the prospects of a two-state solution.
The condemnation comes a day after 1,300 Israeli occupiers, joined by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem as they marked the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, commemorating what they call the “destruction of the Temple.”
In a joint statement shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO), the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the continued incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers led by extremist ministers under the protection of Israeli forces.
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Joint Statement by Foreign Ministers of the Group of Eight Arab-Islamic States
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– Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 24, 2026
The ministers denounced the “continued massive incursions of settlers led by extremist Israeli ministers” into the mosque’s grounds, the raising of the Israeli flag in its courtyards, the erection of two tents by Israeli police and “all other inflammatory acts.”
They said these actions constituted “a blatant violation of international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and the historical and legal status quo in the holy sites of occupied East Jerusalem.”
The joint statement also condemned “illegal and extremist acts of incitement, incursions, calls for mobilization and violence perpetrated by Israeli ministers and extremist groups,” warning that such actions “fuel hatred and extremism” and hinder efforts to achieve “a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.”
The foreign ministers said restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s Old City and its places of worship, as well as what they called discriminatory and arbitrary access restrictions to other religious sites, constituted “a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law”, and represented “an unlawful attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo”.
Read: Around 1,300 Israeli occupiers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem
They stressed that “Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.”
The ministers further condemned Israel’s “continued and systematic violations and measures” aimed at altering “the historical, legal and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem” and undermining the sanctity and status of its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
Reaffirming their “categorical rejection of any attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites,” the ministers stressed the need to preserve existing arrangements while recognizing “the special role of historic Hashemite trusteeship” over the holy sites.
The statement reiterates that “the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which amounts to 144 dunums, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims,” adding that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, remains “the legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction” to administer the mosque compound and regulate entry.
The ministers called on Israel, “as the occupying power,” to immediately lift restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and “refrain from obstructing Muslim worshipers’ access to the mosque.”
They also urged the international community to take “a firm stance” that would force Israel to end what they described as its continued violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as violations of the sanctity of these sites.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims in the world. Jews call this area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, a move never recognized by the international community.
