🇪🇬Egypt Today·1 day ago
Eight nations condemn Al-Aqsa incursions, warn against undermining two-state solution
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have issued a joint statement strongly condemning Israeli actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif compound. They stated that repeated incursions by extremist Israeli ministers under police protection violate international law, UN resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo of holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. The ministers denounced mass incursions by settlers, the raising of the Israeli flag, and the erection of tents by Israeli police within the compound. They warned that these provocative actions fuel hatred and extremism, undermining efforts for a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution. The statement also condemned incitement and calls for organized incursions by extremist groups and Israeli ministers, highlighting the threat to regional security. The ministers stressed that restrictions on access to Jerusalem's Old City and its places of worship, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, violate international humanitarian law and are an illegal attempt to alter the Holy City's character. They reiterated that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites, rejecting any attempts to alter their status. The statement affirmed the vital role of the historic Hashemite Custodianship and reaffirmed that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims. It concluded b