ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli settlers and the raising of the Israel’s flag there, calling for the protection of holy sites under Israeli occupation.
Israeli settlers forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, with photos shared online on Tuesday showing two settlers with raised Israeli flags inside the mosque’s courtyard.
Pakistan’s foreign office said the “reprehensible acts” constituted a blatant violation of the international law as well as of the sanctity and inviolability of the holy site.
“Such provocative steps also risk further escalating tensions in the region,” the foreign office said on Tuesday. “Pakistan calls for all possible measures to protect holy sites under Israeli occupation and to end the impunity of illegal settlers operating under its patronage.”
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.
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.
Pakistan continues to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and reaffirms its “unwavering support for their right to worship,” the Pakistani foreign office added.
