Widespread condemnation: 8 countries reject settlers' incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque
In a unified stance reflecting regional and international concern, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, along with Indonesia and Pakistan, issued a joint statement condemning in the strongest terms the continued incursions by settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under the protection of Israeli forces. The statement deemed these actions, which included raising the Israeli flag in the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a grave provocation of Muslim sentiments worldwide and a flagrant violation of international law.
Escalation threatens the historical and legal status of Jerusalem
These condemnations come within a complex and highly sensitive historical context. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, with its entire 144 dunams (approximately 42 acres), is not merely a religious site, but the third holiest site in Islam. The historical and legal status quo of the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount), dating back to the Ottoman era and repeatedly reaffirmed, stipulates that the mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims. The Jordanian Islamic Waqf, which holds exclusive custodianship of the compound, permits visits by non-Muslims at specific times and under certain conditions that do not include the performance of any religious rituals. The repeated incursions by extremist settler groups, often accompanied by political pronouncements, are seen as a systematic attempt to impose a new reality and undermine this status quo, fueling tensions and threatening to ignite a wider religious conflict.
Regional and international dimensions of condemning settlers' incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque
The joint statement issued by eight influential Islamic and regional states carries significant political weight. It not only rejects these practices but also sends a clear message to the international community about the need to intervene to stop these violations. The ministers warned that the continuation of these unilateral actions undermines international efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace and exacerbates instability in an already volatile region. The statement also emphasized the pivotal role of the historic Hashemite custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, considering any infringement upon it an attack on the stability of the entire region. The ministers held the Israeli authorities, as the occupying power, fully responsible for the repercussions of these ongoing attacks.
Reaffirmation of Palestinian rights and the two-state solution
The condemnation was not limited to the incursions; the ministers reiterated their unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate and inalienable national rights. They reaffirmed that lasting peace can only be achieved through ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The statement called for immediate international action to halt all illegal Israeli practices and to return to serious negotiations based on international law and the Arab Peace Initiative, as the only way to achieve security and stability for all the peoples of the region.
