Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, said the ministerial meeting held in Amman in support of Jerusalem and its holy sites reflects a unified Arab and Islamic position against what he described as the threat posed by Israel’s unlawful policies in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy places.
Speaking at a joint press conference following the meeting, alongside Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Egyptian Foreign Minister بدر Abdelatty, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Nabil Fahmy, Safadi said Jerusalem is an occupied city over which Israel has no sovereignty, adding that any Israeli decisions concerning the city therefore lack legitimacy.
Safadi warned that Jerusalem is facing escalating challenges, including settlement expansion, land confiscation, restrictions on Muslim and Christian worshippers, and what he described as systematic efforts to alter the Islamic identity of Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif. He said these measures are part of a broader policy aimed at entrenching the occupation throughout the Palestinian territories.
He noted that participants agreed to reject these actions and coordinate diplomatic efforts by engaging key international capitals, exposing Israeli policies, and highlighting the risks posed by their continuation. Safadi stressed that the Arab-Israeli conflict has never been a religious conflict but rather one rooted in Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory and the denial of the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state.
He cautioned that Israeli actions risk transforming the conflict into a religious one, warning that such a development would have devastating consequences for regional and international peace and security. Protecting one of Islam’s three holiest sites, he said, requires urgent international action before it is too late.
Safadi reaffirmed that Arab states remain committed to achieving a just peace based on ending the occupation and establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital. He said the Amman meeting delivered a clear message that Israel’s actions pose a serious danger and that settlement expansion and other measures fueling tensions in the West Bank must cease.
He explained that Jordan convened the meeting both in its capacity as chair of the committee and because of its special responsibility for Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites under the Hashemite Custodianship, reaffirming Jordan’s commitment to working with Arab partners to protect the city and its sacred sites.
Safadi stressed that while sovereignty over Jerusalem belongs to the Palestinian people, the Hashemite Custodianship over its Islamic and Christian holy sites remains a historic responsibility of Jordan. He emphasized that protecting Jerusalem is a shared Palestinian, Jordanian, Arab, Islamic, and international responsibility, warning that any attempts to alter the city’s identity amount to “playing with fire.”
He praised the participation of Arab states as well as Türkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Malaysia, noting that all attendees agreed on the need for coordinated action. He added that this was the committee’s first meeting under the new leadership of the Arab League and that its final communiqué reflected broad consensus.
Safadi also said the Hashemite Custodianship has played a crucial role in preventing Israel from exercising direct control over Jerusalem’s holy sites and slowing efforts to undermine their Islamic and Christian identities. Acting under the direct guidance of King Abdullah II, Jordan will continue working with regional partners to halt violations and raise international awareness of their consequences.
He called for stronger international pressure on Israel to end actions targeting Jerusalem’s holy sites and to stop attempts to alter the city’s Arab and Islamic character. Safadi announced that a joint Arab-Islamic diplomatic initiative will begin on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, including a joint meeting between the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to build on the outcomes of the Amman meeting. He also revealed plans to launch a joint platform, including a media platform, to document and publicize Israeli actions and their implications.
Arab League
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy said the meeting reaffirmed the collective rejection of Israeli practices and discussed concrete proposals for future action. He described the gathering as taking place at an exceptionally sensitive moment and thanked Jordan for hosting it.
Fahmy added that participants also met with King Abdullah II, who provided guidance on how best to communicate their message to the international community through various diplomatic forums.
Egypt
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty described Israel’s actions in Jerusalem as systematic and ongoing violations against the Palestinian people.
He stressed that preserving the Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity of East Jerusalem and its holy sites is a matter of principle for Arab and Islamic nations, adding that there is broad consensus on the need for concrete measures rather than statements of condemnation alone.
Abdelatty said the objective is to underscore the gravity of daily Israeli actions in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, including settler violence against Palestinian civilians, as well as what he described as inhumane practices in Gaza.
He noted that Qatar, Türkiye, and Egypt have worked intensively to reach agreement on a roadmap involving the consolidation of weapons under Palestinian authority alongside a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but argued that progress cannot be achieved while hostilities continue.
He added that Arab states are coordinating unified messages to the United States in support of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiative, which, he said, includes ending hostilities, halting attacks on Palestinians, consolidating weapons, and securing an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. He urged stronger regional and international efforts to ensure implementation of the plan and reiterated support for its core principles, including opposition to annexation and forced displacement.
Palestine
Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said Jerusalem remains the central issue and the greatest threat to peace, security, and stability in the region.
She described the current period as one of the darkest in Palestinian history, particularly for Jerusalem, and said the meeting reaffirmed the city’s central importance. Shahin called for moving beyond statements of condemnation toward concrete measures that strengthen the resilience of Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents.
She said discussions focused on three key priorities: exposing Israeli actions internationally, highlighting their impact on the Palestinian people and their future, and strengthening international efforts to protect Jerusalem while supporting the steadfastness of its residents.
Source: Petra
