HNW Condemns Israel's Double Standards at Al Aqsa, Calls for Muslim Solidarity

Deputy Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia, M Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW), has strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing crimes against Al Aqsa Mosque, which he deems rife with double standards. He highlighted that Muslims have been prohibited from worshipping since Ramadan until mid-Shawwal, while Jews are allowed and protected to worship in the area.

He called on Muslims to unite and close ranks to safeguard the safety and continuity of Al Aqsa Mosque as a cultural heritage of the Muslim ummah, recognised by UNESCO, the United Nations agency for education and culture.

“Israel’s double standard must be firmly rejected, galvanising the ummah to unite after expressing condemnation by fulfilling the obligations of all parties and the entire Muslim ummah, according to their capabilities, authority, and responsibilities, to save and protect Al Aqsa Mosque from Zionist Israeli crimes that, if left unchecked, will destroy the mosque and replace it with the Temple of Solomon,” HNW stated in his remarks on Saturday (11/4/2026).

HNW stated that Israel’s actions, led by Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, who openly directed an ‘incursion’ to open the Al Aqsa Mosque complex to Jews for worship at the Western Wall, further awakens Muslims and leaders of Islamic countries to the serious danger facing the existence and continuity of Al Aqsa Mosque as a place of worship and the first qibla of Islam.

“The radical stance he blatantly displays before our eyes should awaken us that this is no longer a trivial matter, but a serious and real issue that must be responded to and prevented with effective and concrete collective steps,” he explained.

Furthermore, HNW noted that even on Thursday, 9 April 2026, when Israel ‘superficially’ opened the Al Aqsa Mosque complex for use only for dawn prayers, it was with limited time and number of worshippers imposed by Israel. This proclaimed Israel as the controller of permissions over Al Aqsa Mosque, not the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, a type of ongoing crime that must be rejected.

Moreover, the timing, according to HNW, was linked to Jewish Passover worship, and it was proven that several provocative actions by radical Jewish groups around Al Aqsa Mosque continued to occur and were still protected by Israeli military.

“This again shows ongoing crimes through permissiveness and incursion actions against Al Aqsa Mosque openly carried out by Jewish parties,” he said.

That superficiality was proven, HNW explained, as just minutes after dawn prayers, Israeli police resorted to violence by assaulting and arresting several worshippers, both men and women, and expelling them from Al Aqsa Mosque. However, Israel then allowed more than 400 Jewish congregants from various groups to worship in the Al Aqsa Mosque complex without restrictions on numbers or time, even with security escorts.

HNW assessed this as severe discrimination. The current situation is even described as the worst condition for Al Aqsa Mosque during Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

HNW emphasised that Israel’s stance has grossly violated human rights and international law. Moreover, besides banning Muslims from worshipping during Ramadan until mid-Shawwal, thus preventing obligatory prayers, tarawih, Friday prayers, i’tikaf, and even Eid al-Fitr prayers at Al Aqsa Mosque, Israel has also banned Christians from worshipping in the Old City of Jerusalem, which includes one of the most historic churches for Christians.

“This shows how Israel behaves wickedly and discriminatorily towards Muslim and Christian worshippers, while still protecting Jews,” HNW stated.

Furthermore, HNW hopes that authorised parties, such as the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, the legitimate entity authorised to manage Al Aqsa Mosque, as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), established to save Al Aqsa Mosque, can take more concrete steps rather than just issuing statements of rejection or condemnation. He also reminded leaders of Arab-Islamic countries, OIC members, to take this issue more seriously.

HNW also appreciated the OIC’s move to issue a joint statement with the Arab League and the African Union regarding Israel’s discriminatory actions against Muslims and Christians. However, this joint statement is still far from sufficient, let alone effective, to ensure Al Aqsa Mosque is saved from closure or actions by radical Jewish groups fully supported by the Israeli government.

“There should be more serious efforts and stances to save Al Aqsa Mosque together with the OIC. This includes if OIC member countries that have already normalised relations with Israel under the pretext of helping the struggle for an independent Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, where Al Aqsa Mosque is located, to cancel that normalisation and immediately close their embassies in Israel. And also Arab-Islamic countries that are members of the Peace Council or Board of Peace, where Israel is one of its members, could immediately consider withdrawing from that Council because Israel’s wicked and discriminatory actions against Al Aqsa Mosque clearly violate the spirit of peace and will not bring about peace,” he explained.

This step, according to HNW, is very necessary to be immediately discussed and implemented at the head-of-state level through an Extraordinary OIC Summit to have binding power internally and strong pressure against Israel, which continues to commit war crimes against Palestine (Gaza, West Bank, and Al Aqsa Mosque). Moreover, the ceasefire between the US and Iran that impacts the country