In a significant diplomatic move, eight Muslim-majority nations have issued a forceful joint condemnation of Israel’s controversial closure of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy month of Ramadan. The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates declared the restrictions constitute a “flagrant violation of international law” and asserted Israel holds “no sovereignty” over the occupied city or its sacred sites.
The coordinated statement, released Wednesday, characterized Israel’s security measures as “illegal and unjustified,” specifically condemning what they termed ongoing “provocative actions” against Muslim worshippers. The ministers demanded immediate reopening of the mosque gates and lifting of access restrictions to Jerusalem’s Old City, urging international pressure on Israel to cease these violations.
The closure initiative emerged following Israel’s recent aerial strikes against Iran in coordination with the United States, an escalation that has heightened regional tensions. Israeli authorities justified the comprehensive shutdown of all religious sites—including the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre—as necessary for public safety amid security concerns.
This development has effectively prevented Palestinian worshippers from accessing Islam’s third holiest site during Ramadan’s peak spiritual period, when tens of thousands typically gather for Friday prayers. Palestinian officials accuse Israel of exploiting regional conflicts to impose unprecedented restrictions on Muslim religious rights, with Hamas labeling the move a “dangerous historical precedent.”
The diplomatic communique reinforced that the entire compound remains “exclusively” for Muslim worship under the legal authority of Jordan’s Islamic Waqf administration. This reaffirmation addresses growing concerns about the erosion of long-standing governance arrangements that preserve Al-Aqsa’s Islamic character amid expanding Israeli control and Jewish access to the sensitive site since Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem.