Overview
- The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint denunciation on Tuesday calling for an immediate halt to extremist settler incursions and the raising of an Israeli flag inside the Al‑Aqsa/Al‑Haram Al‑Sharif compound.
- They said the actions violate international law, relevant UN resolutions and the historical status quo that gives the Jordan‑affiliated Jerusalem Endowments/Al‑Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department exclusive authority to administer the 144‑dunum site.
- A team of 14 United Nations experts has warned that a surge in settler violence is already causing heavy harm on the ground, reporting at least 13 Palestinian deaths and nearly 500 injuries from settler attacks in the first five months of the year.
- Reporting that the United States and Israel discussed ending Jordanian custodianship has provoked diplomatic pushback and denials, and Western statements have since reiterated that Jordan’s custodial role must be respected.
- Analysts say the UAE’s participation and the joint statement by other relatively pro‑Western states shows limits to ties with Israel when actions touch Jerusalem’s holy sites and that continued violations could fuel wider instability and further strain Arab‑Israeli relations.