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A view of Jerusalem on March 18, 2026, showing the deserted Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the Dome of the Rock.
AFP
The United Arab Emirates, together with Jordan, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, issued a joint statement strongly condemning Israel’s ongoing restrictions on access to Muslim and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.
The countries called for an immediate end to measures that impede worshippers’ freedom to pray at key religious landmarks, including Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The statement comes amid reports of prolonged closures and access limitations, including the denial of entry for worshippers during Ramadan and for Christian leaders celebrating Palm Sunday Mass.
The ministers from the countries described Israel’s actions as a blatant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and an infringement on the longstanding legal and historical status of these sacred sites.
They emphasized that Israel, as the occupying power, holds no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem and stressed that all measures obstructing worshippers’ access are illegal. They reaffirmed that the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif complex, covering 144 dunams, remains a Muslim place of worship administered exclusively by the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department under Jordanian oversight.
In their statement, the ministers urged Israel to lift all closures and restrictions in Jerusalem’s Old City immediately.
They also called on the international community to take decisive action to ensure Israel halts these violations and respects the sanctity of both Islamic and Christian holy sites, warning that continued restrictions pose risks to regional and international peace and security
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