Qatar says Israeli settler visits to Al-Aqsa risk fuelling regional tensions

Qatar on Tuesday condemned repeated visits by Israeli settlers to the Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, warning that the activity could contribute to heightened tensions and undermine efforts to maintain regional stability.

In a statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as the “continued incursions by settlers” into the compound, including visits that took place on Tuesday under Israeli security protection.

The ministry described the activity as an “unacceptable provocation to the sentiments of millions of Muslims around the world” and said it constituted a violation of international law and international humanitarian law.

Qatar also reiterated its position that Al‑Aqsa is a Muslim place of worship and rejected any unilateral measures it said were intended to alter the historical and legal status quo governing Jerusalem’s holy sites.

The ministry warned that repeated actions at the site could “fuel cycles of violence and escalation in the region” and undermine prospects for calm.

It called on the international community to press Israel to halt what Qatar described as violations against Palestinians and Islamic holy sites and to comply with relevant international resolutions.

Qatar also reaffirmed its support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Visits by Jewish Israelis to the Al‑Aqsa compound have increased around the period of the Jewish holidays, according to Palestinian reports.

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