Egypt, seven other countries condemn Al-Aqsa incursions and warn against undermining the two-state solution

CAIRO – 23 July 2026: The foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar issued a joint statement condemning in the strongest terms the Israeli escalation at the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif compound.

The ministers affirmed that repeated incursions led by extremist Israeli ministers under police protection constitute a flagrant violation of international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo of holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.

The joint statement denounced continued mass incursions by settlers, the raising of the Israeli flag within the compound, and the erection of two tents by Israeli police in its courtyards. The ministers warned that these provocative actions fuel hatred and extremism while undermining efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.

They further condemned incitement and calls for organized incursions and acts of violence by extremist groups and Israeli ministers, warning of the severe threat these practices pose to regional security and stability.

The ministers stressed that restrictions on access to Jerusalem's Old City and its places of worship—including Al-Aqsa Mosque—violate international humanitarian law and represent an illegal attempt to alter the historical, legal, and demographic character of the Holy City.

Reiterating that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites, the statement categorically rejected any attempts to alter their status. It emphasized the vital role of the historic Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem's holy sites and reaffirmed that the entire 144-dunum Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims.

In closing, the statement reaffirmed that the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department—affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places—is the sole legal authority responsible for managing the mosque's affairs and regulating entry.

The ministers called on Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately lift access restrictions, refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers, and urged the international community to take a firm stance against ongoing violations.