The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar issued a joint statement strongly condemning Israel’s continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al-Sharif to Muslim worshippers, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday.
During Ramazan, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians traditionally gather at Al-Aqsa Mosque — Islam’s third-holiest site in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed.
The FO’s statement, shared on X on March 11, described the restrictions as a “flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship.”
The ministers called the closure “illegal and unjustified” and reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites. “The entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque … is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims,” the statement said, adding that only the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department has legal authority over access.
They urged Israel to reopen the gates, remove all access restrictions in the Old City of Jerusalem, and stop obstructing worshippers. The ministers also appealed to the international community to take a firm stance against Israel’s “violations and illegal practices” at religious sites.
Al-Aqsa is not only a key symbol of Palestinian identity but also a frequent flashpoint. While Jewish visitors are allowed under long-standing rules, prayer by non-Muslims is prohibited. Palestinians have raised concerns that this status quo is being undermined.
Last month, Israel limited Palestinian worshippers from the West Bank from attending Friday prayers and capped Ramazan attendance at 10,000. Security forces were deployed heavily, and age restrictions were imposed: only men 55 and older, women 50 and older, and children up to 12 were allowed entry.