FM Dar calls for 'unity and resolve' among Islamic countries to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque amid Israeli incursions

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday called for "unity and resolve" among Arab and Islamic countries to collectively call for the protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque amid Israeli incursions.

Dar is in Jordan for a ministerial meeting on the deteriorating situation in Jerusalem and the West Bank, where he has been holding a series of bilateral meetings with regional counterparts alongside discussions on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and broader regional developments.

Addressing the ministerial meeting, he noted that while the ceasefire and United States President Donald Trump's "comprehensive plan" provided an opportunity "to alleviate humanitarian suffering and advance an incredible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood", the current moment "requires collective responsibility to preserve the opportunity for peace".

In light of this, he said, Arab and Islamic countries "must act with unity, resolve and collective action". Dar called on nations to reaffirm the protection of Jerusalem and its holy sites, "by demanding an immediate cessation of all violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque, preservation of the historical and legal status quo, and unrestricted access to Jerusalem and the holy sites".

Beyond this call to action, the foreign minister added three others. The second, he said, was to "reject all illegal Israeli settlement activities, annexation attempts, forced displacement and demographic changes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2334".

The third, Dar said, was to support the "full and faithful implementation of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza conflict and security council resolution 2803".

Noting that Pakistan welcomed developments under the Board of Peace towards implementation of the process of disarmament under the Gaza peace plan and appreciated the efforts of mediating countries, including the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, he stated, "We hope that with these developments, concrete steps will be taken towards implementing all commitments under the Gaza peace plan."

Further, Dar stated that the fourth call was for Arab and Islamic states to strengthen diplomatic efforts "to ensure international protection for the Palestinian people, hold accountable those responsible for crimes and violations committed against civilians, and advance a political solution based on justice, lasting peace, and international legitimacy".

The foreign minister also noted deep concern over "the continued expansion of illegal settlements, the establishment of new settlement outposts, escalating settler violence, and the continued oppression of the Palestinian people", particularly in the West Bank.

These policies, Dar said, "violate international humanitarian law, defy the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and further entrench an unlawful occupation".

"Impunity for these grave violations has emboldened the occupying power to persist with policies that undermine the viability of a Palestinian state, and threaten regional peace and security," Dar stated.

Noting that the "humanitarian situation in Gaza is extremely fragile", the foreign minister noted that the ceasefire and the implementation of elements of the peace plan had yielded some improvements.

However, he stated that 59% of the population still faced crisis-level food insecurity, 1,100 Palestinians had been killed and nearly two million remain confined to just 30% of Gazan territory "enduring miserable conditions".

This, Dar said, "calls into question the full and faithful implementation of the plan".

Earlier in his address, the foreign minister stated that the ministerial meeting convened "with a shared sense of urgency" as illegal Israeli actions "continue to threaten the sanctity and historic character of the holy sites, undermine international law, disregard relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and further erode prospect for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace".

Dar expressed Pakistan's condemnation "in the strongest possible terms" of the continued Israeli incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by "extremist Israeli settlers, encouraged by senior Israeli ministers, and carried out under the protection of the occupying forces".

He added that by "deliberately undermining the religious and historical status of Jerusalem, Israel is provoking the sentiments of billions of Muslims around the globe".

"This appears to be an attempt to not only undermine regional peace and stability but also to drag the followers of various religions into a wider conflict," Dar said. He added, "We cannot and must not allow that."

"Let there be no ambiguity," the foreign minister said, adding that "Israel has no sovereignty over occupied East Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites."

All measures seeking to alter their character or status were "null and void and without legal effect", Dar noted.

He reaffirmed the Palestinian people's "inalienable right to self-determination and their right to establish an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous state of Palestine, based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital".

"A just, comprehensive and lasting peace can only be achieved through respect for international law and realisation of the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people," FM Dar said.

Arab, Muslim ministers agree on mechanism to document Israeli violations in Jerusalem

The Arab and Muslim foreign ministers agreed to establish a permanent mechanism to document and expose Israeli violations in Jerusalem and at its Islamic and Christian holy sites, according to a joint declaration adopted after the ministerial meeting.

The declaration, issued after the meeting, said the mechanism would include a media platform to document Israeli violations against holy sites and worshippers and bring them to the attention of international organisations and the global public.

The participants, including members of the Arab Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem and representatives of Turkiye, Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia, also called for immediate international action to halt Israeli measures in Jerusalem and at its holy sites.

The declaration condemned Israeli policies and measures aimed at altering Jerusalem’s Arab, Islamic and Christian identity, as well as its legal and demographic status, describing them as null and void and a violation of international law. It reaffirmed that East Jerusalem is part of the occupied Palestinian territory and that Israel has no sovereignty over it.

The declaration reiterated that East Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine and said establishing a Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967, borders, living alongside Israel under a two-state solution, remains the only path to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.

The ministers also condemned Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque, including attempts to alter its historical and legal status quo and impose temporal and spatial divisions.

They also denounced increased incursions by extremist settlers and Israeli officials, restrictions on worshippers, interference in the work of the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, and continued excavations beneath and around the site.

The declaration reaffirmed that the entire 144-dunam (35.6-acre) Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Haram Al-Sharif compound is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.

It said the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Sites, is the sole legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the compound.

The participants also condemned Israeli violations targeting Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, including restrictions on access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, interference in church affairs, restrictions targeting church institutions and properties, and attacks on clergy, worshippers and religious symbols.

The ministers reaffirmed their support for Jordan’s Hashemite Custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and pledged to continue supporting the resilience of Palestinians in the city.

They warned that Israeli attacks against Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem could inflame the sentiments of around two billion Muslims worldwide and fuel a religious conflict with repercussions extending beyond the region, threatening regional and international peace and security.

The declaration also rejected unilateral decisions affecting Jerusalem’s legal status, including the establishment or relocation of diplomatic missions to the city.

It called for a joint ministerial meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week in New York in September to discuss developments in Jerusalem and at its holy sites.

FM Dar holds bilateral meetings

FM Dar also held a group meeting with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye in which they reiterated their "unwavering support" for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state.

"They reaffirmed that a just, comprehensive, and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue remains indispensable to achieving enduring peace and stability in the Middle East. The ministers also reviewed the evolving regional situation and reaffirmed the importance of continued consultation and close coordination among the four countries in advancing regional stability. They emphasised that dialogue and diplomacy remain essential to fostering stability and preventing further escalation in the region."

Earlier, Dar and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across a range of sectors and coordinating closely on regional issues, including the deteriorating situation in the Occupied West Bank, during talks on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem in Amman.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar met Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, as part of his engagements during the high-level ministerial meeting.

The FO said the two leaders welcomed the "growing momentum in Pakistan-Jordan bilateral relations" and reaffirmed their commitment to further enhancing cooperation across "political, defence, economic, educational, cultural and people-to-people domains".

They also exchanged views on regional developments, with particular focus on "the deteriorating situation in the Occupied West Bank".

During the meeting, Dar appreciated Jordan's "steadfast role in safeguarding the Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem" and its continued support for the Palestinian people, the statement said.

The two foreign ministers also discussed wider regional developments, including recent developments involving Iran and the United States, and underscored "the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for de-escalation".

According to the Foreign Office, they reaffirmed close coordination at both the bilateral and multilateral levels, including at the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to promote regional peace and stability.

Separately, Dar also met Somalia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting.

The two leaders reviewed the "longstanding fraternal ties" between Pakistan and Somalia and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the political, economic, defence, education and capacity-building sectors, the Foreign Office said.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close coordination at multilateral forums and exchanged views on regional developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East and the deteriorating situation in East Jerusalem.

Dar is in Jordan to participate in the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem, where he has been holding a series of bilateral meetings with regional counterparts alongside discussions on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and broader regional developments.

The foreign minister also met his counterparts from Turkiye, Algeria and Egypt.

Dar arrives in Jordan for meeting on Jerusalem

Dar arrived in Amman earlier today to participate in the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem, convened by Jordan, the FO said.

According to a post by the FO on X, Dar was received upon arrival by Jordan's Director of the Human Rights Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Saja Almajali, Pakistan's Ambassador to Jordan Major General (retd) Khurram Sarfraz Khan, and officials of the Pakistani embassy.

MoFA stated that Dar has "a full programme of engagements" during his visit, centred on discussions over the deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and broader regional developments.

The foreign minister's schedule includes participation in the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem, a call on Jordan's King Abdullah II, and a series of bilateral meetings with fellow foreign ministers.

The statement said these meetings will focus on "the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as regional and bilateral issues of mutual interest."

"The meeting will bring together foreign ministers from the Arab League and a group of Islamic countries, including Pakistan, to formulate a unified position on the fast-deteriorating situation in occupied Jerusalem," MoFA had said earlier.

Read: Pakistan, Egypt condemn Israeli military actions in Gaza, occupied West Bank

It added that Dar would also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conference with participating foreign ministers to exchange views on regional developments, including Palestine, as well as other issues of mutual interest.

Dar's participation, MoFA had said, was a "manifestation of Pakistan's principled support for the Palestinian people" and its "unwavering commitment" to the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Alongside Dar, senior officials from Turkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Bahrain, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Somalia and Malaysia, as well as the secretary-general of the Arab League, were expected to attend.

Anadolu reported that participants were expected to discuss preserving the historical and legal status of Jerusalem's holy sites, developments in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Israel's actions that are deemed contrary to international law, the Gaza ceasefire process, recent developments concerning the Palestinian issue and international efforts to implement a two-state solution.

Last week, 14 Arab and Palestinian institutions and organisations issued an urgent appeal calling for collective action to protect occupied Jerusalem amid what they described as escalating Israeli violations targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque and the city's historic identity.

Read More: Pakistan, Turkiye express concern over Israeli actions in Gaza, Al-Aqsa Mosque violations

The appeal warned of an unprecedented Israeli escalation targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalemites, and the city's Arab, Islamic and Christian identity, saying the measures sought to create new realities on the ground and consolidate control by force.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, a move never recognised by the international community.

The appeal said Jerusalem was facing one of the most critical periods in its modern history, citing increased incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Israeli occupiers under the protection of Israeli forces, along with efforts to impose a temporal and spatial division of the mosque.