Israel's Closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque Violates Palestinian Rights and Legal Status

Illustration of tens of thousands of worshipers crowding the Al-Aqsa Mosque Complex. (Source: WAFA)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemns Israel's continued attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Haram al-Sharif, which are carried out by forcibly closing it to the faithful and imposing strict restrictions on access to the Old City and other places of worship in Jerusalem under the pretext of "security", especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry confirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or any part of the land of the State of Palestine.

The ministry emphasized that Israel's policies and actions are a blatant violation of Palestinian rights, a clear violation of international law, and an abandonment of the legal and historical status that has been established for the holy sites, which must be protected, quoted from WAFA (12/3).

"The actions taken by Israel violate the freedom of worship," the ministry said.

Furthermore, the ministry emphasized that the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Haram al-Sharif, which includes 144 dunums (about 14.4 hectares), is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims.

"Every unilateral action by the Israeli occupation is an attack on this historic and legal right," the ministry stressed.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates stated that the Israeli occupation government was fully responsible for these violations.

The ministry called on the Israeli government to immediately reopen the Al-Aqsa Mosque and lift all restrictions on access for worshippers.

In addition, the ministry also urged the international community and its institutions to take immediate action to stop the violations, ensure freedom of worship in occupied Jerusalem, and reiterate the long-standing demand that the occupation be ended and those responsible be held accountable without delay.