ABU DHABI, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers from eight countries on Wednesday condemned Israel for closing the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to Muslim worshippers, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar said the restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship violate international law and the historical and legal status quo governing the site.
The ministers rejected what they described as illegal and unjustified measures. They condemned Israel's actions against worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, stressing that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
They reiterated that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims and that the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, has sole authority to administer the site.
The ministers called on Israel to immediately reopen the gates of the mosque, lift access restrictions to the Old City of Jerusalem and ensure that Muslim worshippers can reach the site freely. They also urged the international community to take a firm stance to halt what they described as ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. ■
