The European Union called on Wednesday to preserve the special status of East Jerusalem, warning of the consequences of any attempt to change the status quo, amid strict Israeli measures to access Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan.

This came in a statement issued by the heads of the European Union missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah, published on the Union's website.

On Sunday, the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that the Israeli police had put its forces on high alert in preparation for the month of Ramadan, and intended to deploy 3,000 police officers daily at the checkpoints leading to the city of Jerusalem and all the way to Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The police recommended to the government, as in last year, to grant entry visas to the Al-Aqsa Mosque to 10,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, according to the authority.

According to the police recommendation, entry permits will be granted to men aged 55 or older and women aged 50 or older, in addition to allowing children up to the age of 12 to enter Al-Aqsa accompanied by an adult.

The statement pointed out that the heads of missions of the European Union countries visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque yesterday, Tuesday, and met with the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem "as part of the regular exchanges dedicated to religious and cultural diversity in Jerusalem and the Old City."

The heads of the Waqf were briefed on “the latest developments and concerns in the arena, including violations of the status quo. The Waqf also expressed its concern about the restrictions imposed on access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy month of Ramadan.”

** Special mode

The European Union said its position on Jerusalem "remains consistent: the special status and character of Jerusalem and its Old City, the sanctity of its holy sites and the viability of all its communities must be preserved and respected by all."

The union explained that "any unilateral attempt to change the status quo would have deeply destabilizing effects and must be avoided," adding that "worshippers must be able to freely access their holy sites."

In their statement, the heads of missions referred to "Jordan's special role in maintaining the status quo" and renewed "their support for implementing this role through the Jerusalem Waqf Department."

Jordan retained its right to supervise religious affairs in Jerusalem under the Wadi Araba peace agreement it signed with Israel in 1994.

** Israeli pressure

The European heads of missions said in a statement that they were in contact with church leaders in Jerusalem "to discuss the challenges affecting their situation and their Christian communities."

“The churches emphasized, among other things, the ongoing financial pressures they face from local Israeli authorities through the retroactive imposition of municipal taxes on their properties, regardless of their use, which contradicts long-standing practices and previous agreements that exempted church properties from taxes,” the statement said.

The churches stressed that "this measure will limit their ability to work and continue their charitable and educational activities. The initiation of seizure procedures on the properties of the Armenian Patriarchate also raises increasing concerns," according to the same source.

On February 19, the Armenian Patriarchate in East Jerusalem warned of Israel’s intention to confiscate its properties in the city, claiming that it had accumulated “astronomical and illegal” debts since 1994.

The Armenian Patriarchate said in a statement that the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem is demanding that it pay taxes or else it will put its properties up for sale in a public auction.

Palestinians consider these restrictions part of Israel's intensive measures to Judaize East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and obliterate its Arab and Islamic identity.

They cling to East Jerusalem as the capital of their desired state, based on international legitimacy resolutions, which do not recognize Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967 or its annexation in 1981.

The Judaization of Jerusalem, including settlement and displacement, accelerated in parallel with a genocidal war waged by Israel with American support on the Gaza Strip between October 7, 2023 and January 19, 2025.

This genocide resulted in more than 160,000 Palestinian deaths and injuries, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing persons, amidst massive destruction, with the cost of reconstruction estimated at more than 53 billion dollars.

In parallel with this genocide, the Israeli army and settlers escalated their attacks in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which led to the killing of at least 926 Palestinians, the injury of about 7,000 people, and the arrest of 14,500 others, according to official Palestinian data.