World must break its silence on Al-Aqsa and Palestine

August 6, 2026

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has made an urgent appeal that the world cannot afford to ignore. Speaking at a ministerial meeting on Jerusalem in Amman, he called on Arab and Islamic countries to unite in defence of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the rights of the Palestinian people. His words carry weight because the situation on the ground demands nothing less than a serious response.

For years, Israel has pushed forward with settlement expansion, annexation efforts and the forced displacement of Palestinians. These actions are not minor administrative matters. They are direct violations of international law and multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. Yet the international community continues to watch from the sidelines, offering statements of concern without any real consequences. This silence is not neutral. It is complicity.

Al-Aqsa Mosque holds deep religious and historical significance for Muslims across the world. Any attempt to alter its status or restrict access to worshippers is an attack not just on a building, but on the dignity and faith of over a billion people. Dar is right to demand unrestricted access to Jerusalem’s holy sites and to warn that continued violations could inflame tensions far beyond the region.

Gaza remains a humanitarian catastrophe. Even after a ceasefire, millions of Palestinians face hunger, displacement and constant insecurity. A ceasefire on paper means little if people cannot eat, find shelter or live without fear. The world celebrated the ceasefire as a diplomatic win, but celebration cannot replace action. Promises must be followed by real relief and real accountability.

Pakistan has consistently stood by Palestine, and this position deserves respect. The demand for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, is not a radical idea. It is a long-standing international consensus that keeps getting delayed by powerful nations unwilling to pressure Israel.

The new mechanism agreed upon in Amman to document Israeli violations at holy sites is a welcome step. But documentation alone changes nothing if the world refuses to act on the evidence. Muslim countries must move beyond statements and coordinate real diplomatic pressure.

The people of Palestine have waited long enough for justice. The world’s continued hesitation to hold Israel accountable is not just a policy failure. It is a moral failure that history will not judge kindly.