Muslim countries condemn Israel's 'unjustified' closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque
Eight Muslim-majority countries have condemned Israel's "unjustified" closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying Israel has "no sovereignty" over the revered site and must lift the restrictions immediately.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates criticised Israel's decision to block access to the mosque compound and the surrounding Old City.
The ministers said the restrictions constituted 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".
They also described the measures as "illegal and unjustified" and condemned what they said were continued Israeli "provocative actions" against Muslim worshippers.
"The Ministers affirmed their absolute rejection and condemnation of this illegal and unjustified measure," the statement said, adding that Israel "has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites".
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Israeli police announced earlier this week that all religious sites in the Old City - including Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - would remain closed for security reasons following Israel’s launch of air strikes on Iran alongside the United States, an escalation that has triggered a broader regional war.
Authorities said the closure was necessary "to safeguard public safety and human life".
The restrictions have effectively barred Palestinians from accessing Al-Aqsa during Ramadan, when tens of thousands would normally gather at the compound for Friday prayers.
The ministers urged Israel to immediately reopen the mosque's gates and lift restrictions on access to the Old City, calling on the international community to pressure Israel to halt what they described as ongoing violations.
They reiterated that the entire Al-Aqsa compound is "exclusively" for Muslim worshippers and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs department, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, holds legal authority over the site.
Growing restrictions during Ramadan
The closure follows a series of tightening restrictions on Muslim worship at the compound during Ramadan.
Earlier this month, Israeli authorities banned Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa citing the "security situation" linked to the war on Iran, even as Jewish Purim celebrations were allowed to proceed elsewhere in the city.
Palestinians and religious authorities said the move effectively emptied the mosque of worshippers during one of the busiest periods of the Islamic calendar.
Palestinian officials have accused Israel of using the regional conflict as a pretext to impose unprecedented restrictions on Muslim access to the complex.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the continued closure represents a "blatant violation of Palestinian rights," while Hamas described it as a "dangerous historical precedent" and a violation of freedom of worship.
Al-Aqsa Mosque has long been governed by an international arrangement preserving its religious status as an exclusively Islamic site.
Under this status quo, the administration of the site, including control over access, falls to the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem, the Jordanian-appointed religious endowment responsible for managing the mosque complex.
However, in recent years, since Israel's occupation of east Jerusalem, this arrangement has been increasingly eroded through restrictions on Muslim worshippers and Waqf officials, while the Jewish presence and Israeli control have expanded.
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