Pakistan and seven other Muslim-majority countries have jointly condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, describing the move as a dangerous provocation that threatens regional peace and stability.

In a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, the countries denounced what they called the continued incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli security forces. The statement also criticized the raising of the Israeli flag inside the mosque’s courtyards and other actions described as inflammatory and unacceptable.

The ministers urged Israel to halt actions immediately, they said, that violate the historic and legal status quo at the holy site. They reaffirmed that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, while emphasising the importance of respecting Jordan’s custodianship of the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem.

Ben-Gvir’s visit took place during the Jewish fast of Tisha B’Av and drew widespread criticism from regional governments and Palestinian officials, who warned that such actions risk escalating tensions at one of the world’s most sensitive religious sites. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound remains a longstanding flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with previous incidents at the site triggering broader unrest across the region.