Arab and Muslim ministers to document Israeli violations in East Jerusalem
Arab and Muslim ministers in Amman will set up a permanent mechanism and media platform to document Israeli violations in East Jerusalem and protect holy sites.
Arab and Muslim foreign ministers gathered in Amman on August 5, 2026, and agreed to establish a permanent mechanism to record and expose what they described as Israeli violations in East Jerusalem. The joint declaration announced a dedicated media platform to publicise incidents at Islamic and Christian holy sites and to present findings to international organisations and the global public. The ministers said the move aims to halt policies that, they argue, are eroding the legal and demographic status of the city.
Meeting in Amman Produces Joint Declaration
Delegations including the Arab ministerial committee on Jerusalem, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and representatives from Turkiye, Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia attended the session. The ministers adopted a joint declaration calling for immediate international action to stop Israeli measures they said threaten the sanctity and status of Jerusalem’s holy places. The declaration framed the new mechanism as a response to what participants described as an escalation of incursions, restrictions and legal changes.
Structure and Purpose of the Documentation Mechanism
The planned mechanism will combine systematic documentation, legal analysis and a public communications arm to broadcast incidents involving worshippers and religious sites. Officials said the media platform will compile evidence for presentation to the United Nations, regional bodies and global audiences to press for accountability. The ministers emphasised the mechanism’s role in ensuring consistency and credibility in reporting alleged violations over time.
Al‑Aqsa and Christian Holy Sites Cited as Under Threat
Delegates singled out the Al‑Aqsa Mosque/Noble Sanctuary as suffering from increased raids, restricted access and measures they say aim to alter its historical and legal status quo. The statement also detailed alleged interference with the Jerusalem Awqaf and the Al‑Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, together with excavations beneath and around sensitive sites. Christian institutions were similarly highlighted, with ministers citing constraints on access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and actions they say interfere with church affairs and property rights.
Claims of Demographic and Legal Changes in Jerusalem
The declaration criticised a range of policies described as attempts to change Jerusalem’s Arab, Islamic and Christian identity and its demographic composition. Ministers accused Israeli authorities of settlement expansion, land annexation, property confiscation and measures that, they said, squeeze Palestinian residents and sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory. The participants characterised these actions as illegal under international law and warned that they deepen tensions across the city.
Calls for International Action and Legal Remedies
The Amman meeting urged immediate steps by international organisations to halt what the declaration called illegal measures and to protect freedom of worship for all faiths. Participants called for the evidence gathered by the mechanism to be shared with the UN and other multilateral bodies to prompt diplomatic and legal responses. They also demanded safeguards to preserve the status quo at holy sites and to ensure unhindered access for worshippers.
Plans for Joint Ministerial Session at the UN General Assembly
Ministers requested a joint meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States during the United Nations General Assembly high‑level week in New York in September 2026. The proposed session is intended to brief world leaders on developments in Jerusalem and mobilise coordinated diplomatic pressure. The Amman declaration indicated that the documentation mechanism will produce materials ahead of that meeting to inform delegations and the wider international community.
The ministers warned that continued measures which they perceive as altering Jerusalem’s legal or religious arrangements risk inflaming sectarian tensions and could jeopardise regional and global peace and security. They framed the new mechanism as a preventive tool designed to create an authoritative record, press for enforcement of existing legal norms, and keep international attention fixed on conditions in the city.