Arab, Muslim Ministers Agree to Document Israeli Violations in Jerusalem
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim countries agreed on Wednesday to establish a permanent mechanism for documenting and exposing violations by the Israeli regime in occupied Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. This decision was outlined in a joint statement approved after a ministerial meeting held in Jordan.
The statement, issued in Amman, the capital of Jordan, announced that this mechanism will include a media platform dedicated to documenting Israeli violations against holy sites and worshippers, and disseminating this information to international organizations and the global public.
Participants, including members of the Arab Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem and representatives from Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Malaysia, also called for urgent international action to halt Israeli actions in Jerusalem and its holy places. They condemned Israeli policies and measures aimed at altering Jerusalem’s Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity, as well as its legal and demographic status, deeming them null and void and in violation of international law. The statement reiterated that East Jerusalem is part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and Israel holds no sovereignty over it.
The ministers reaffirmed that East Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine. They asserted that establishing a Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, under a two-state solution, remains the sole path to a just, stable, and comprehensive peace. The ministers also condemned Israeli transgressions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, including attempts to alter its historical and legal status and the imposition of temporal and spatial divisions. They further denounced increased incursions by extremist settlers and Israeli officials, restrictions imposed on worshippers, interference in the affairs of the Jerusalem Waqf and the administration of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and ongoing excavations beneath and around the site.
The statement emphasized that the entire 144-dunam (35.6-hectare) compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims. It clarified that the Department of Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places, is the sole legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction over the administration of this complex.
Participants also condemned Israeli aggressions against Christian holy sites, including restrictions on access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, interference in church affairs, limitations targeting church institutions and properties, and assaults on clergy, worshippers, and religious symbols. They warned that Israeli attacks on Islamic holy sites could provoke the sentiments of approximately 2 billion Muslims worldwide, potentially igniting religious conflict with repercussions extending beyond the region and threatening regional and international peace and security.
The statement also rejected unilateral decisions impacting Jerusalem’s legal status, including the establishment or relocation of diplomatic missions to the city. It called for a joint meeting of the ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League during the UN General Assembly in New York in September to discuss developments concerning Jerusalem and its holy sites.
