The Committee of Arab Ministers Responsible for Jerusalem, which is responsible for ensuring international action against Israel's illegal practices and policies in occupied Jerusalem, made a statement after the 166th ministerial session of the Arab League Council held in Cairo, the capital of Egypt.
The meeting, which took place with the participation of Arab League Secretary General Nabil Fahmi and committee members, was chaired by Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safedi.
According to the statement, the Committee agreed to strengthen the efforts of Arab countries and their diplomatic contacts with influential international parties to pressure the Israelis, who have usurped Palestinian lands, to stop their terrorist acts and to implement "restrictive and deterrent measures" to stop attacks on Islamic holy places.
The committee also called for work to ensure that Israel is held accountable for its violations in occupied Jerusalem and to take a determined international stance against these practices.
The statement warned about the consequences of these practices for peace and security in the region and the world.
Violations monitoring platform
The Committee welcomed the launch by Qatar of a sustainable institutional working mechanism, including a media platform, to expose, document and monitor Israeli violations against worshipers and holy sites.
The General Secretariat of the Arab League, in coordination with the member states, was tasked with monitoring the activation of the mechanism and determining its working mechanisms and financial resources.
It also called for a coordinated Arab and international diplomatic and media campaign to expose Israeli violations in Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territories and mobilize international pressure to stop them, to develop a practical plan for its implementation and to identify sources of financing.
A ministerial meeting hosted by Jordan on August 5, with the participation of committee members and Islamic countries including Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia, called for the establishment of an institutional mechanism, including a media platform, to document violations.
Joint venture from the Arab and Islamic world
The Committee agreed to intensify initiatives within the international community, especially the United Nations Security Council, in order to create an attitude that would oblige Israel to stop its violations of the holy places in Jerusalem and to respect the existing historical and legal status there.
He also emphasized that efforts within regional and international organizations will continue to document Israel's violations in Jerusalem and the holy sites.
It was decided to strengthen coordination with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and to hold a joint ministerial meeting on Jerusalem between the Arab League and the OIC during the United Nations General Assembly High Level Week to be held in New York in September.
1,234 settlement units within the scope of the "E1" Project
The committee condemned "in the strongest terms" the Israeli authorities' opening of a tender for the construction of 1,234 new settlement units within the framework of the "E1" plan in the east of East Jerusalem.
He stated that the E1 Project disrupts the geographical integrity between the north and south of the West Bank, separates East Jerusalem from the Palestinian environment, and also undermines the possibility of the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Israeli authorities had put out a tender for 1,234 units on August 18 within the framework of the "E1" plan, which covers approximately 3,400 settlement units in the region between East Jerusalem and "Ma'ale Adumim" Jewish illegal structures.
The plan in question faces international reactions due to the damage it will cause to the geographical integrity of the West Bank.
Raiding of UNRWA headquarters condemned
The Committee condemned the Israeli authorities' raid and evacuation of the Kalendiya Training Center belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in occupied Jerusalem.
Describing the raid as "a dangerous escalation, a clear violation of international law and an attack on the immunities and privileges of UN agencies", the Committee emphasized that it rejected Israel's "systematic" steps targeting the existence and activities of the Agency.
Israeli forces raided the center on August 25 and took the employees out, and Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that the evacuation process had begun.
Kalendiya Center is known as one of the oldest vocational training facilities belonging to the UN agency.
Al-Aqsa Mosque and Hashemite Custodial
On the issue of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Committee condemned Israel's "unprecedented escalation" aimed at changing the historical and legal status quo.
Reactions were made to the pressures of Jewish settlers and Israeli officials on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and their actions, which included Jewish rituals and prayers inside.
In the statement reiterating that Al-Aqsa Mosque (Haram Al-Sharif) with all its areas is "a place of worship belonging only to Muslims", the importance of the historical Hashemite Tutelage in protecting the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem and preserving their identity and historical-legal status was emphasized.
It was underlined that the Jerusalem Islamic Foundations Administration, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Foundations, is the "exclusive authority to manage all affairs of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and regulate the entrances".
The Committee once again emphasized that "Israel has no sovereignty over Jerusalem and the holy places there" and that East Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian state to be established on the borders of June 4, 1967, in accordance with the two-state solution, international law, the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international references.
