Pakistan, allies slam Israel curbs on worship
A general view of Al-Aqsa mosque compound, in Jerusalem. PHOTO: PIXABAY
Pakistan, along with seven other Muslim countries, has strongly condemned ongoing Israeli restrictions on the freedom of worship for Muslims and Christians in occupied Jerusalem, particularly measures preventing Muslim worshippers from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
A joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar said the countries "condemn, in the strongest terms, and reject the continued restrictions imposed by Israel on the freedom of worship for Muslims and Christians in occupied Jerusalem," read the statement shared on X.
The ministers pointed to multiple incidents, including the barring of Muslim worshippers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and restrictions on Christian clergy seeking access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, including during key religious observances such as Palm Sunday.
They described these actions as "a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law," as well as a breach of the legal and historical status quo, stressing that they infringe upon "the unrestricted right of access to places of worship." The ministers also voiced concern over attempts to alter the longstanding arrangements governing religious sites in Jerusalem, stating that they "renewed their condemnation and rejection of any Israeli attempts to alter the legal and historical status quo at Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem."
UN peacekeepers killing
Pakistan has condemned the killing of three United Nations peacekeepers serving in Lebanon during an emergency session of the UN Security Council, according to a social media post by Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad.
"This tragic and deeply disturbing incident strikes at the very heart of international law, UN peacekeeping and the international community's collective commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security," he said.