Pakistan, alongside seven other Muslim-majority countries, on Tuesday strongly condemned what they described as “continued incursions by extremist Israeli settlers into Al Aqsa Mosque” and called for an immediate end to such actions.
According to a joint statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO), foreign ministers from Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates denounced “in the strongest terms the continued incursions by extremist Israeli settlers, into Al Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli forces, as well as the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards”.
The statement said these actions “constitute a flagrant violation of international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo at the holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem”.
The ministers also rejected any attempt to change the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, stressing the importance of preserving existing arrangements and recognising the role of the Hashemite custodianship.
They further emphasised that the entire Al Aqsa Mosque compound, covering 144 dunams, is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims, and noted that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf holds administrative authority over the site.
The countries held Israeli authorities responsible for stopping what they called escalating violations, warning that such actions increase regional tensions, fuel instability, and undermine international peace efforts.
They also stated that repeated violations “constitute a clear breach of Israel’s obligations under international law” and urged an immediate cessation of all provocative measures.
Reaffirming their position, the foreign ministers expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and reiterated support for their “legitimate and inalienable national rights,” including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement also backed ongoing international efforts to end the occupation and achieve a two-state solution based on international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Earlier in April, Pakistan had also strongly condemned the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound and the raising of the Israeli flag in its courtyard, calling such acts “reprehensible” and warning they could further inflame regional tensions.
