Key Points
- Pakistan rejects Israeli sovereignty over occupied East Jerusalem.
- Dar reaffirms Jordanian custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites.
- Pakistan calls for protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
- Backs implementation of Gaza peace plan.
NEW YORK: Pakistan has called for a united and sustained Arab-Islamic response to the continuing violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in occupied East Jerusalem.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar made the call at a Joint Arab League-Group of Four Islamic Countries ministerial meeting on Jerusalem in New York on Saturday, saying the situation required continued vigilance and a “resolute collective response”.
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Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, at the Joint Arab League–Group of 4 Islamic Countries (Pakistan, Türkiye, Malaysia and Indonesia) Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem
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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 26, 2026
Dar said continued violations against Al-Aqsa, settlement expansion, settler violence and forced displacement remained matters of serious concern.
He stressed that there could be no ambiguity over the status of occupied East Jerusalem.
“Israel has no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including its Holy Sites,” Dar said.
Protecting holy sites
Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the Hashemite custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as the exclusive jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department over Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
Dar urged participating countries to build on understandings reached in Amman and translate their shared positions into practical and sustained measures.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 participated in Joint Arab League- Group of 4 Islamic Countries (Pakistan, Türkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia) Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem. The meeting, convened by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, was… pic.twitter.com/cQrpZJA59y
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 26, 2026
He called for international support to preserve the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, rejection of unilateral measures aimed at changing the city’s character or identity, and continued support for relevant Jordanian institutions and Jerusalem’s religious endowments.
He also called for a timely collective response to any violation of the established status quo.
Gaza peace plan
Dar also linked the Jerusalem issue to wider diplomatic efforts over the Palestinian question, urging continued calls for the “full and faithful implementation” of the Gaza Peace Plan in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2803.
The Security Council adopted Resolution 2803 in November 2025, endorsing the US-backed Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and calling on the parties to implement it in its entirety. The resolution also welcomed a transitional Board of Peace and authorised the establishment of a temporary International Stabilization Force for Gaza.
Dar said the opportunity created by ongoing diplomatic efforts should be preserved and converted into tangible progress.
Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries had also called earlier this week for Israel to fulfil outstanding commitments under the first phase of the Gaza peace plan and urged all parties to preserve the ceasefire and advance the next stage of the agreement.
The foreign minister said collective efforts should remain anchored in achieving a just, comprehensive and durable peace.
He reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian people’s “inalienable right to self-determination” and called for an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous State of Palestine based on the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Pakistan had expressed the same position at the August 5 Amman ministerial meeting, where Dar said lasting peace required establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders.
Settlement concerns
The status of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, remains a longstanding international concern. A UN Secretary-General report covering June 2024 to May 2025 documented developments concerning Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.
Jordan also welcomed a July 2026 UNESCO World Heritage Committee decision to retain the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls on the List of World Heritage in Danger, saying the decision reflected concerns over measures affecting the city’s cultural heritage and the status of its holy sites.
Dar said Pakistan would continue working closely with Arab and Islamic countries in pursuit of these objectives.
“At this critical juncture, our unity and collective resolve are more important than ever,” he said.
