Indonesia joined seven other Muslim-majority nations in issuing a joint condemnation of Israeli restrictions on Al-Aqsa Mosque access during the holy month of Ramadan, demonstrating Jakarta's continued role as a bridge-builder in Islamic diplomacy.
Foreign ministers from Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar issued the joint statement, as reported by HIMPUH News, criticizing Israel's closure of mosque gates and heightened security restrictions in Jerusalem's Old City.
The ministers stated that these policies "hinder Muslims from performing worship at one of Islam's holiest sites" during Ramadan, when access to the mosque holds particular significance for the world's 1.8 billion Muslims. The Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, covering approximately 14.4 hectares, is exclusively designated for Muslim worship under international agreements.
In Indonesia, as across archipelagic democracies, unity in diversity requires constant negotiation across islands, ethnicities, and beliefs. Jakarta's participation in this multilateral statement reflects the country's unique position as the world's largest Muslim-majority democracy—able to speak with moral authority on Islamic issues while maintaining its secular democratic framework and diplomatic relationships across religious and ideological lines.
The eight-nation coalition called on Israel to immediately reopen all Al-Aqsa gates, end access restrictions to Jerusalem's Old City, and cease preventing Muslims from worshipping at the mosque. Legal management of the site falls under Jordan's Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, a status the ministers emphasized in their statement.
