The Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have issued a unified joint statement condemning Israel’s continued closure and restrictive access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al-Sharif. The Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan released the statement on Thursday, characterizing the measures as an illegal obstruction of religious freedom during the holy month of Ramazan.
The eight-nation coalition underscored that the entire Al-Aqsa compound is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims and rejected any Israeli claim of sovereignty over the occupied holy sites in Jerusalem.
Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE condemn Israel’s continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan for the 12th consecutive day https://t.co/osFSIs9hI2 pic.twitter.com/Xpvwccymdi
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 12, 2026
A Breach of International Law and Status Quo
The joint statement, dated March 11, outlines severe legal and humanitarian concerns regarding the “discriminatory and arbitrary” security measures currently enforced in the Old City of Jerusalem.
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Legal Violations: The ministers asserted that the restrictions constitute a “flagrant violation of international law,” including international humanitarian law and the historical and legal status quo of the region.
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Jurisdictional Authority: The statement reiterated that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department is the sole legal entity with the jurisdiction to regulate entry and manage the mosque’s affairs.
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Religious Exclusion: The coalition demanded that Israel immediately cease the closure of the gates and remove all obstacles preventing Muslim worshippers from reaching Islam’s third-holiest site.
🔊PR No.6️⃣5️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣
Joint Statement on Closure of the Gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif by Israeli Occupation Authorities pic.twitter.com/diagC5MSPi
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 11, 2026
Ramazan Under Siege: Age and Capacity Caps
The condemnation follows a series of escalating measures by Israeli authorities that have drastically reduced the number of Palestinians able to observe Ramazan traditions.
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Capped Attendance: Israeli authorities have capped the number of worshippers at 10,000, a fraction of the hundreds of thousands who traditionally attend.
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Age Restrictions: Access for West Bank Palestinians has been restricted to men over 55, women over 50, and children under 12, effectively barring a significant portion of the population.
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Police Presence: A heavy deployment of Israeli police around the mosque has turned the holy site into a flashpoint, further eroding the long-standing arrangement where Jewish visitors may enter the compound but are strictly prohibited from praying.
Call for Global Intervention
The eight foreign ministers have called upon the international community to adopt a “firm position” to force a halt to these illegal practices.
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Preserving Identity: The statement emphasized that the Al-Aqsa compound is a central symbol of Palestinian identity and that current practices threaten to permanently erode the delicate historical balance of the site.
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Sovereignty Rejection: The coalition affirmed its “absolute rejection” of any Israeli sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
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