Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday strongly denounced the entry of Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, describing the display of Israeli flags within the sacred compound as a serious provocation and a violation of the site’s sanctity.
In a statement issued in Kuala Lumpur, the ministry accused Israel of supporting efforts aimed at changing the cultural, historical and religious identity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is regarded as Islam’s third holiest site.
It said attempts to Judaize the compound amounted to a desecration of one of Islam’s most revered places of worship.
“Such actions are provocative and unacceptable and disregard the custodial role over Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem,” the ministry said, adding that the international community must not remain silent while hostility occurs in plain sight.
Malaysia called on the United Nations to take immediate and tangible steps to stop what it described as ongoing violations and to ensure accountability for Israel’s actions.
The ministry also reaffirmed the country’s support for the Palestinian cause, reiterating its backing for an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement came after dozens of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa compound on Sunday under the protection of Israeli police and carried out what Palestinians described as provocative religious rituals.
Israeli authorities have allowed such visits to the site since 2003 during designated morning and afternoon hours, except on Fridays and Saturdays. Palestinians argue that these actions form part of broader efforts to alter the identity of East Jerusalem and weaken its Arab character.
They maintain that East Jerusalem should serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state, in line with international resolutions that do not recognize Israel’s occupation of the area in 1967 or its subsequent annexation in 1980.
