Arab League committee calls for int'l action against Israeli violations in Jerusalem

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Tuesday chaired the eighth meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee responsible for confronting Israel's illegal actions in occupied Jerusalem. 

The committee met in Cairo ahead of the Arab League Council's 162nd session at the ministerial level, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Safadi underscored the urgency of stopping the Israeli aggression on Gaza, addressing the resulting humanitarian crisis, and ensuring the delivery of sustainable aid to all areas of the Strip. He also highlighted the need to stop Israeli escalations in the West Bank and attacks on Palestinians, warning that ongoing extremist policies risk further destabilising the region.

The committee also condemned Israeli violations of holy sites, calling them "blatant" breaches of international law and "dangerous escalations".

Members reaffirmed their opposition to Israeli efforts to alter the Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity of Jerusalem, emphasising that such actions violate the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its sacred sites.

The committee also condemned recent incursions by extremist Israeli officials into Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif and denounced calls to establish a Jewish synagogue there.

Reiterating support for the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights, the committee emphasised the necessity of establishing an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution.

The members reaffirmed their support for the Hashemite custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, acknowledging Jordan’s role in protecting these sites and preserving their Arab, Islamic, and Christian identities. 

They also stressed that the Jordan-run Jerusalem Awqaf and Aqsa Affairs Department are the sole authorities responsible for managing the site and regulating entry.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Shaheen briefed the committee on the intensifying Israeli settlement expansion in and around Jerusalem. 

She also highlighted the confiscation of tens of thousands of dunams of Palestinian land and the approval of thousands of settlement units, aimed at obstructing the creation of a future Palestinian state.

 The committee emphasised the need to implement relevant UN and UNESCO resolutions, which affirm that the entire 144,000 square meters of Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif is exclusively a Muslim place of worship and a world cultural heritage site under threat due to Israeli actions.

Also on Tuesday, Safadi participated in a meeting of the Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee with the Syrian government, aimed at finding a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis. 

During the session, the committee held discussions with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.

The committee decided to form a team of experts to study the issues the ministerial committee is handling with the Syrian government. The team will meet in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, at a later date to be determined.