Pakistan has issued a strong condemnation after Israeli ministers and settlers forcibly entered Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, under police protection. The raid, led by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, coincided with the Jewish commemoration of Tisha B’Av, with over 1,250 settlers performing Talmudic rituals inside the mosque compound. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif slammed the act as a “sacrilege” and warned that such deliberate provocations threaten to escalate violence across the Middle East.
The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, which administers the site, reported that settlers danced and sang under armed guard, violating a decades-old agreement allowing Jews to visit but not pray there. Pakistan’s Foreign Office accused Israel of “systematic aggression”, citing inflammatory statements like “the Temple Mount is ours” as attempts to alter Al-Aqsa’s status. PM Shehbaz emphasized that such actions undermine peace prospects and demanded global accountability.
Pakistan urged the UN and OIC to take immediate action, stressing that silence enables further atrocities. The FO statement highlighted Israel’s violations of international law, including UN resolutions supporting Palestinian self-determination. Pakistan reaffirmed its stance for a free Palestine based on 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Meanwhile, Gaza’s death toll has surpassed 60,000, with 88% of the strip destroyed by Israeli bombardment.
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar recently called the Palestine issue a “test case” for the UN, urging the Security Council to stop being a “bystander”. Pakistan continues to demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire and humanitarian aid for Gaza. As tensions rise, the world faces a critical choice: allow further escalation or enforce justice for Palestine.
