DID Press: Foreign ministers from 14 countries have strongly condemned Israeli policies aimed at altering the Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity of Jerusalem, according to a joint statement issued after the Jerusalem Conference in Jordan.
The statement rejected Israeli actions targeting the Al-Aqsa Mosque and condemned attempts to change the historical and legal status of the holy site. The ministers also rejected any unilateral measures, including the establishment or relocation of diplomatic missions to Jerusalem.
The participants reaffirmed that East Jerusalem is part of the occupied Palestinian territories and said Israel has no sovereignty over the area. They stated that Jerusalem should serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state based on the borders of 1967.
The statement specifically criticized increased incursions by Israeli settlers and far-right officials into Al-Aqsa Mosque and warned against efforts to alter the historical and legal arrangements governing the site.
The foreign ministers emphasized that Al-Aqsa Mosque, covering its full 144-hectare compound, is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims. They said the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Sites, remains the sole authorized body responsible for managing the site and regulating access.
The statement warned that continued actions against Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem could inflame tensions among nearly two billion Muslims worldwide and potentially contribute to broader religious and regional instability.
The participants expressed support for the steadfastness of Jerusalem’s residents and called on the international community and the United Nations Security Council to take immediate measures to halt what they described as unlawful actions in occupied Jerusalem and its holy sites.
The Jerusalem meeting was attended by foreign ministers and senior officials from Turkey, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Bahrain, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Somalia, and Malaysia.