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His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani led Qatar's delegation to the meeting of the Arab ministerial committee tasked with mobilising international action against illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem, held in Amman Wednesday.The meeting dealt with what participants described as a dangerous and unprecedented Israeli escalation in occupied Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, and launched joint action to confront illegal Israeli measures pushing the region towards further conflict.The Arab League secretary-general took part, along with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Turkiye and representatives of Indonesia and Malaysia.The committee comprises Qatar, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt and Morocco, together with the Arab League secretary-general.A joint statement issued after the meeting, convened at Jordan's invitation, set out 15 points of agreement.Participants condemned Israeli policies aimed at altering the Arab Islamic and Christian identity of occupied Jerusalem and its legal and demographic status, rejecting such measures as null and void, without legal effect, and a flagrant violation of international law and Israel's obligations as the occupying power.They reaffirmed that East Jerusalem is part of the occupied Palestinian territory and that Israel holds no sovereignty over it, and that it is the capital of the State of Palestine. A free, independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in security and peace alongside Israel on the basis of the two-state solution and in line with international law, relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, was described as the only path to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace. The statement also reaffirmed the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.The ministers condemned all Israeli violations at al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif and attempts to alter its historic and legal status quo or impose temporal and spatial division — including escalating incursions by extremist settlers, Israeli ministers and officials, facilitated and protected by the occupation authorities; provocative practices and inflammatory statements; restrictions on worshippers' access and assaults against them; obstruction of the work of the Jerusalem Awqaf and al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department; and continued illegal excavations beneath the mosque and in its vicinity.They affirmed that al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif, across its entire 144 dunums, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Awqaf and al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated to the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Sites, is the sole legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction over its administration and entry to it.Violations targeting Christian holy sites and threatening the historic Christian presence in Jerusalem were also condemned, including restrictions on access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and on religious rites there, interference in church affairs, restrictions on their institutions and properties, and attacks on clergy, worshippers and religious symbols.The statement backed the historic Hashemite custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and its role in protecting them, safeguarding their Arab Islamic and Christian identity and preserving the historic and legal status quo.It called for support for the resilience of Jerusalemites through development assistance and the strengthening and protection of Palestinian institutions in the city, and recognised the role of the al-Quds Committee and its executive arm, the Bayt Mal al-Quds al-Sharif Agency.Participants warned that Israeli attacks on Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem amount to a blatant provocation to the sentiments of around two billion Muslims worldwide and risk driving a religious conflict whose repercussions would extend beyond the region.They called on the international community and the Security Council to act immediately to halt Israel's illegal measures in occupied Jerusalem and its holy sites, describing them as part of a systematic policy to entrench the occupation through settlement expansion, land annexation, the suffocation of the Palestinian economy, the targeting of Palestinian national institutions, escalating settler terrorism and the targeting of UNRWA — all while Israel's violations of the Gaza ceasefire agreement continue and the humanitarian catastrophe there worsens.The statement rejected any unilateral decision violating the legal status of occupied Jerusalem, including the establishment or relocation of diplomatic missions to the city, and called on the states concerned to reverse such decisions.Participants agreed to launch joint action to mobilise an effective international response compelling Israel, as the occupying power, to respect the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem, and to establish a sustainable, institutional and operational mechanism — including a media platform — to document and expose Israeli violations against the holy sites and worshippers before international organisations and global public opinion.They called for a joint ministerial meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly in New York next month to discuss the escalation in Jerusalem and ways to confront it, and thanked Jordan for hosting.

His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani took part in a meeting held by King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of Jordan with participants in the Arab ministerial committee tasked with mobilising international action against illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem. The meeting was held in Amman Wednesday. They discussed the latest developments in Palestine, particularly the Israeli escalation in occupied Jerusalem and joint efforts to preserve the city's Islamic and Christian identity, along with a number of topics of common interest. 

The State of Qatar participated Saturday in an international conference on Jerusalem, entitled "Jerusalem: The Frontline of Displacement and Annexation and the Key to Achieving a Just and Lasting Peace", held by the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), in collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), in Cairo, Egypt. Qatar's delegation to the conference was headed by Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Arab Republic of Egypt and Deputy Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States Maryam bint Ahmed al-Shibi.  Addressing ways to protect the unique multi-religious character of Jerusalem and its importance as a symbol of coexistence, the conference focused on the pressing challenges facing the Palestinian people in occupied East Jerusalem, including displacement, dispossession, and violence, placing these issues within the broader context of the occupied Palestinian territory, while emphasising the importance of protecting the holy city, preserving the existing historical and legal status quo, and supporting the rights, presence, and sovereignty of Palestinians in Jerusalem.  The conference reaffirmed the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem as the foundation for achieving peace, stability, and interfaith coexistence.  It also highlighted the restrictions on freedom of worship and the threats to holy sites, as well as the impact of Israeli policies, including settlement expansion, on the city's identity and the Palestinian presence there.  It emphasised the international community's responsibilities under international law to preserve the cultural and religious character of Jerusalem.  Its agenda included two panel discussions that brought together religious leaders, policymakers, and experts on: Saving the holy city and protecting the historical status quo of the holy sites, and Preserving the Palestinian presence, rights, and sovereignty in Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territory in the face of displacement policies and illegal settlement expansion. 

The Muslim World League strongly condemned the continued incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli forces, as well as the raising of Israeli flags within the mosque compound.In a statement, the organisation denounced the provocative actions, warning that they violate the historic and legal status of Jerusalem, undermine peace efforts, and threaten regional stability.The League also urged the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities by taking immediate action to halt such violations.

The ministers of foreign affairs of the State of Qatar; the Arab Republic of Egypt; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; the Republic of Turkiye; the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; the Republic of Indonesia; the Republic of Djibouti; the Federal Republic of Somalia; the State of Palestine; the Sultanate of Oman; the Republic of Sudan; the Republic of Yemen; the Lebanese Republic; the Islamic Republic of Mauritania; and the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria condemn in the strongest terms the illegal and unacceptable step taken by the so-called "Somaliland" region in opening a purported "embassy" in occupied Jerusalem.  This constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and relevant international resolutions, and represents a direct infringement on the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem.  The ministers reaffirm their categorical rejection of any unilateral measures aimed at entrenching an illegal reality in occupied Jerusalem or conferring legitimacy on any entities or arrangements that contravene international law and relevant UN resolutions.  They reiterate that East Jerusalem has been occupied Palestinian territory since 1967, and that any measures intended to alter its legal and historical status are null and void and without legal effect. The ministers further emphasise their full support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and their unequivocal rejection of any unilateral sovereignty.  The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) has strongly condemned and denounced the opening by the so-called "Somaliland Region" of an alleged "embassy" in Occupied Jerusalem. Secretary-General of the GCC, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi affirmed that this step constitutes a blatant violation of all international and UN norms, laws and conventions, as well as a clear breach of the relevant international resolutions concerning the status of the occupied city of Jerusalem.  He stressed that the international community must take immediate and serious action to halt these null and rejected measures, which would contribute to undermining security and stability in the region. He also renewed his affirmation of the GCC's support for the Federal Republic of Somalia in all that would support its security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Albudaiwi further stressed the GCC's firm position in support of the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, foremost among them the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the resolutions of international legitimacy.​

Officials in Occupied Jerusalem have warned of what they describe as a "serious and systematic escalation" at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, citing increased activity by settler groups in recent weeks. In a statement, the Jerusalem Governorate said attempts were being made to impose new realities in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, including efforts to bring in what it referred to as "animal sacrifices" and an increase in incursions during religious and political occasions. The statement said there had been eight documented attempts since the start of the year to bring sacrificial animals to the mosque or its surroundings during the Passover period. It described this as the highest number recorded since 1967. In three cases, individuals were able to reach entrances near the site before being stopped, it added. The authority also warned of two upcoming dates in May which it said could see further escalation. These include May 15, marking "Jerusalem Day", commemorating Israel's capture of East Jerusalem in 1967, and May 22, coinciding with the Jewish festival of Shavuot ( the Feast of Weeks). It said such occasions are often accompanied by increased visits to the site and attempts to bring in ritual items, including plant and animal offerings. 

The foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt have condemned repeated Israeli violations of the historical and legal status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, particularly ongoing settler incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection and the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards.In a joint statement, the ministers called the provocations a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and an unacceptable affront to Muslims worldwide. They rejected any attempts to alter the existing status quo in Jerusalem, while acknowledging the special role of Jordan's historic Hashemite custodianship over the holy sites.The ministers reaffirmed that the entire 144-dunam area of Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department — affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf — holds exclusive legal jurisdiction over the mosque's administration and access.They also condemned Israeli settlement expansion, including approval of more than 30 new settlements, as a violation of international law, UN Security Council resolutions, and the International Court of Justice's 2024 advisory opinion, and denounced escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including attacks on schools and children, calling for accountability.The ministers stressed that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory and that annexation attempts and forced displacement are wholly unacceptable, warning that such measures undermine the two-state solution and obstruct peace efforts.They called on the international community to compel Israel to halt its escalation, and reiterated their unwavering support for Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

A young Palestinian man was injured after being severely beaten by Israeli occupation soldiers in the town of Tammun, south of Tubas in the West Bank.The Palestinian news agency (WAFA), citing medical sources, reported that Palestinian Red Crescent teams responded to the incident and transferred the injured man to hospital for treatment.Israeli occupation forces have been carrying out a large-scale raid in the Tubas Governorate since midnight, involving a significant deployment of troops in the area.

A Palestinian was wounded on Monday by Israeli occupation forces in the town of Al-Ram, northeast of occupied Jerusalem.WAFA news agency reported, citing local sources, that Israeli occupation soldiers shot and wounded a young man near the apartheid wall separating the town of Al-Ram from the city of Jerusalem.Over the past two years, the aggression of the Israeli occupation and its settlers against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem has escalated, especially after the war on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israeli occupation forces have arrested at least 20 Palestinians from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, from Saturday until Sunday morning. Among them were three children and former prisoners. The Palestinian news agency (WAFA) stated that the occupation continues its systematic arrest operations in the West Bank, which last night were carried out across the governorates of Nablus, Salfit, Qalqilya and Ramallah. Last night, Tubas Governorate witnessed a widespread raid and abuse, accompanied by field investigations, assaults and widespread vandalism and destruction of Palestinian homes and infrastructure. These arrest operations are retaliatory measures falling under the crime of collective punishment, as arrests have constituted — and continue to constitute — one of the occupation's most consistent and systematic policies, not only in terms of the number of detainees but also in the severity of the crimes committed. This arrest campaign is part of the escalating policy pursued by the Israeli occupation in the West Bank, aimed at intimidating Palestinians, restricting their movement, and targeting activists and released prisoners.

The State of Qatar has reiterated its unwavering stance on the justice of the Palestinian cause and its full support for the Palestinian people's sovereignty over their natural resources and their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. This came in Qatar's statement delivered by the Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Talal Abdulaziz Al Naama, before the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly during its 80th session, under the item on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, at UN Headquarters in New York. Al Naama affirmed that the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories, along with systematic human rights violations by Israeli security forces and settlers, and the long-standing discriminatory regime under which Israel exercises control over Palestinians, undermines the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination. He stated that Qatar has called for an end to the Israeli military occupation and its negative impact on social and economic development and living conditions of the Palestinian people, as well as the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan. He added that Qatar welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly of the advisory opinion issued last year by the International Court of Justice regarding the legal consequences of Israel's policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, which affirmed the illegality of the occupation and its resulting practices, and called on Israel to end its unlawful presence and fully comply with its obligations under international law. Al Naama noted that since the outbreak of the war, Qatar has been committed to providing essential humanitarian and development aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, despite restrictions on the entry of humanitarian assistance. This aid has included thousands of tons of food, medicine, medical supplies, shelter materials, field hospitals, and medical treatment for thousands of wounded and ill individuals. He pointed out that Qatar's total support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has reached approximately USD 49 million, in addition to renewing a multi-year support agreement for 2025-2026 worth USD 20 million to help the agency fulfill its mandate efficiently, especially amid chronic funding shortages. He concluded by stating that Qatar, as part of its sincere mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, alongside Egypt, Turkey, and the United States, continues to deliver humanitarian aid to meet urgent needs and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Israeli colonists stormed on Tuesday morning the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Jerusalem, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces. The Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) quoted eyewitnesses as saying that dozens of colonists stormed the courtyards of the mosque, carried out provocative tours, and performed Talmudic rituals, coinciding with the first day of the "Hebrew Sukkot" festival. Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in October 2023, more than 68,000 colonists have stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupation forces, amid tightened entry restrictions to the mosque and the gates of the Old City.