Qatar Urges Coordinated Action Against Israeli Violations in Jerusalem
Qatar has called for a coordinated diplomatic and media effort to expose and halt Israeli "violations" in occupied East Jerusalem. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Qatar is developing an institutional mechanism to monitor, document, and present these alleged violations to international organizations and global public opinion.
The appeal was made by Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalifi, during a joint ministerial meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly. The statement was released on Saturday.
This initiative follows a significant increase in the number of settlers entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. According to the Governorate of Jerusalem, 1,678 settlers entered the mosque on September 20 and 21, with 992 on the first day and 686 on the second. This surge occurred during the Jewish observance of Yom Kippur.
Reports indicate that these incursions involved public and group performances of religious rituals and prayers, with the participation of Israeli government officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as stated by the Governorate of Jerusalem.
Al-Khalifi emphasized Qatar's rejection of unilateral actions aimed at establishing a new reality in Jerusalem and its holy sites, deeming them "null and void" under international law. He reiterated that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is "exclusively a place of worship for Muslims" and reaffirmed Qatar's support for the Hashemite custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Qatar is working to activate a sustainable mechanism to monitor and document violations in Jerusalem, including a media platform to showcase these incidents to the international community. Al-Khalifi urged continued coordination with the Arab League and the OIC to define the initiative's operational mechanisms and funding, stressing the importance of implementing the outcomes of a previous meeting held in Amman in August.
