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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strongest condemnation of the recent incursion into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque by an Israeli occupation minister accompanied by occupation forces, according to a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency. The ministry categorically rejected Israel’s ongoing violations of international law along with its disrespect for the sanctity of Islamic holy sites and its provocation of Muslims worldwide. It emphasized the necessity for the international community to fulfill its responsibility to stop all Israeli violations and transgressions against the Palestinian people as well as against the holy and historical sites in occupied Palestine. The statement further called for respect for the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque and urged accountability for the occupation regarding these repeated actions.
Similar condemnations have been issued by the ministry in response to prior incidents at the site, a pattern documented across multiple statements carried by the Saudi Press Agency in recent years. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem serves as Islam’s third holiest site and remains under the historical custodianship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a status repeatedly affirmed in regional diplomatic communications. Israeli actions at the location have drawn consistent criticism from Saudi Arabia and other Arab states for breaching established arrangements that govern access and administration. The latest statement aligns with earlier ministry positions that reject any attempts to alter the site’s legal and historical character.
According to assessments from the Saudi Press Agency, the ministry has stressed that such incursions undermine peace efforts and contravene relevant United Nations resolutions on the status of Jerusalem. The compound, known to Muslims as Al-Haram al-Sharif, spans an area administered exclusively by Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs under long-standing agreements. Saudi officials have repeatedly positioned these statements as part of a broader call for the international community to intervene and halt practices viewed as systematic violations. The foreign ministry’s latest intervention comes amid heightened regional tensions surrounding holy sites in Jerusalem.
In parallel statements from earlier in 2026, the ministry joined other Arab and Muslim nations in denouncing continued settler incursions under Israeli security protection, data compiled by regional foreign ministries shows. Those joint positions underscored that the entire 144-dunam site constitutes an exclusively Muslim place of worship with only the Jordanian Waqf possessing legal authority over administration and access. Saudi Arabia has maintained its categorical rejection of measures aimed at changing the demographic or religious character of occupied East Jerusalem. The recurring diplomatic responses reflect the Kingdom’s established policy on protecting Islamic holy places.
The Saudi Press Agency has carried numerous ministry statements on the issue since 2024, each reiterating demands for accountability and preservation of the pre-existing status quo at the mosque. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been associated with several such visits in past reporting by multiple regional outlets, actions that consistently prompt official Arab condemnations. The ministry has warned that these provocations risk escalating conflicts and inflaming sentiments across the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia continues to advocate for full adherence to international law in all matters concerning Palestinian territories and their sacred sites.
