Eight Arab and Islamic states have issued a joint statement on incursions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and reaffirmed support for a Palestinian state.
The foreign ministers of eight Arab and Islamic states have released a joint statement addressing developments at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied east Jerusalem. According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the statement was issued from Islamabad and represents a coordinated position among the eight governments.
The signatories are Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In the statement, the ministers condemned what they described as continued incursions by Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, under the protection of Israeli forces, along with the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards.
The ministers characterized these actions as a violation of international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo at the holy sites. They also addressed what they called systematic measures aimed at altering the historical, legal, and demographic character of occupied east Jerusalem, and undermining the status of its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
Arab-Islamic States Reaffirm Al-Aqsa Status Quo
A central element of the statement concerns the administration of the site. The ministers reiterated that the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which they put at 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.
The statement identified the legal authority over the site. The ministers stated that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, which falls under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, holds exclusive jurisdiction to administer the mosque’s affairs and to regulate entry. They reaffirmed their rejection of any attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem, while recognizing the role of the Hashemite custodianship.
The ministers held Israeli authorities responsible for halting the actions described in the statement. They called for an immediate cessation of the practices they listed and warned that repeated violations could increase tensions, fuel instability, and undermine international efforts toward peace. They framed the actions as a breach of obligations under international law.
The statement carried a reference number of 140/2026 and was dated June 2 from Islamabad. It forms part of a series of coordinated statements the same group of states has issued on regional matters over recent months.
Arab-Islamic States Back Palestinian Statehood
The statement extended beyond the specific events at the mosque to broader policy positions. The ministers reaffirmed their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their support for Palestinian national rights.
Chief among those rights, the statement said, is the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The ministers reaffirmed their backing for efforts to end the Israeli occupation and to achieve what they described as a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace.
The framework they cited rests on existing diplomatic references. The ministers tied their position to the two-state solution, international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative. The statement presented these as the basis for any settlement.
The joint position reflects ongoing coordination among the eight governments on issues relating to Jerusalem and the wider region. The grouping has previously issued statements on matters including access to holy sites and developments in Gaza, maintaining a shared diplomatic line across separate occasions.
