Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Wednesday that Israel holds no sovereignty over East Jerusalem or its holy sites, condemning incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by “extremist Israeli settlers.”
Addressing a ministerial conference in Amman, Jordan, Dar said Israel’s actions as the occupying power in Palestine continue to threaten the sanctity and historical character of Jerusalem’s holy sites. “They undermine international law, disregard UN resolutions, and further erode the prospects of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace,” he said. “Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the continued incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Israeli settlers, encouraged by senior Israeli ministers and carried out under the protection of the occupying forces.”
Dar said that by deliberately undermining the religious and historical status of Jerusalem, Israel was provoking the sentiments of billions of Muslims worldwide. “This appears to be not only an attempt to undermine regional peace, security and stability, but also to drag followers of various religions into a wider conflict,” he said. “We cannot and must not allow that.”
He stressed there should be no ambiguity that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied East Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. “All measures seeking to alter its character and status are null and void and without any legal effect,” he added.
The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Jordan’s historic and special role in the region, recognising the Jerusalem Endowment and Al-Aqsa Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, as the legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction over the administration of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Dar said Pakistan remains “deeply concerned” over the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, the establishment of new ones, and the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people. On Gaza, he described the humanitarian situation as extremely fragile. “The ceasefire and the implementation of the elements of the Gaza Peace Plan have yielded some improvements; however, 59pc of the population still faces food insecurity and health crises,” he said, noting that more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, a toll he said calls into question the full and faithful implementation of the plan. “We should support the full and faithful implementation of the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict and UNSC Resolution No. 2803,” Dar said. “We should also strengthen Arab and Islamic coordination and diplomatic efforts to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people.”
Sideline Meetings
Dar held one-on-one meetings with the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, and Somalia on the sidelines of the conference to discuss matters of mutual interest, the Foreign Office said. In his meeting with Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, he discussed the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, and praised Jordan’s role in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and its continued support for the Palestinian people.
Separately, the foreign ministers of the R-4 Group, comprising Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, also met on the sidelines of the conference. They reiterated their “unwavering support” for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
