ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Tuesday condemned Israeli forces for storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque earlier this week, calling on the international community to prevent such “provocations” from happening in the future.
Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by Israeli security forces, toured the courtyard of the sacred mosque in East Jerusalem on Monday. His visit sparked anger as Palestinians have been barred from entering the mosque for over a month by Israeli authorities.
Israeli authorities closed the mosque on Feb. 28, the same day Israel and the US launched joint airstrikes against Iran, citing security concerns. They prevented Palestinians from worshipping at the site during the holy month of Ramadan and on the Eid Al-Fitr holiday last month.
“Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Haram Al-Sharif) by Israeli occupation forces,” Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson said in a statement.
“This reprehensible act constitutes a direct assault on the sanctity and historical character of the holy site and is a violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.”
Al-Aqsa Mosque, located within the Haram Al-Sharif compound in East Jerusalem’s Old City, is the third-holiest site in Islam and draws thousands of worshippers. Access to the site has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Pakistan said it rejects attempts by Israeli authorities to alter or undermine the established religious, historical and legal status of the mosque. It called on the international community to take urgent and effective measures to prevent such “provocations.”
“Pakistan reiterates its unwavering and principled support for the just cause of the Palestinian people, including their inalienable right to self-determination, and for the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” the statement concluded.
Under longstanding arrangements dating back decades, the Islamic Waqf administered by Jordan oversees the site of the mosque, while Israeli authorities control security and access to the Old City.
Restrictions around the compound often intensify during religious holidays such as Ramadan, when large numbers of Palestinian worshippers seek to attend prayers at the mosque. Disputes over access to the site have repeatedly triggered protests and broader tensions in Jerusalem and across the region.
