Türkiye, 7 nations condemn Israel’s violations of Al-Aqsa, Christian holy sites

The foreign ministers of Türkiye and seven other nations — Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — issued a joint statement on Thursday condemning “repeated Israeli violations of the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites.” The statement specifically denounced incursions by Israeli settlers and officials into Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al-Sharif under police protection, including the raising of Israeli flags in the compound.

Flagrant violation of international law

The ministers described the actions as a “flagrant violation” of international law and an “unacceptable provocation to Muslims around the world.” They reaffirmed their rejection of any attempts to alter Jerusalem’s status quo and stressed the special role of Hashemite custodianship over the holy sites. The statement emphasized that the entire 144-dunam Al-Aqsa compound is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims, administered solely by the Jordan-affiliated Jerusalem Endowments Department.

Settlement expansion and two-state solution

The ministers condemned Israel’s accelerating illegal settlement activity, including the approval of over 30 new settlements, calling it a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the 2024 ICJ advisory opinion. They denounced escalating settler violence targeting Palestinian schools and children, and stressed that “Israel has no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” Rejecting annexation and displacement, they called for a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state along June 4, 1967 borders.