Foreign ministers from several Muslim-majority countries have condemned restrictions imposed on access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
In a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye criticized the continued closure of the gates of the mosque complex to Muslim worshippers.
The ministers stated that security restrictions affecting access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its religious sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque—also known as Al-Haram al-Sharif—constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the historical status quo governing the holy sites.
According to the statement, the ministers rejected what they described as “illegal and unjustified measures” and condemned actions they said were provocative toward worshippers at the mosque. They also emphasized that Israel does not have sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
The statement further noted that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, covering approximately 144 dunams, is considered a place of worship for Muslims. It reaffirmed that administration of the site falls under the Jerusalem Waqf and Al‑Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, which operates under the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.
The ministers called on Israel, described as the occupying power, to immediately cease the closure of mosque gates, remove access restrictions to Jerusalem’s Old City, and allow Muslim worshippers unhindered access to the site.
They also called on the international community to adopt a firm position that compels Israel to halt its ongoing violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as its violations of the sanctity of these holy places.