Palestinian authorities have condemned a ceremony attended by foreign diplomats in occupied Jerusalem, warning that the event was designed to legitimize Israeli control over Islamic holy sites and undermine their historical and legal status.

Israeli authorities have organized a diplomatic event at Al-Buraq Plaza in occupied Jerusalem, escorting foreign ambassadors to a Talmudic candle-lighting ceremony as part of Hanukkah celebrations, a move Palestinian officials have denounced as a dangerous provocation.

According to Israeli media reports, ambassadors from Russia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and several other countries participated in the ceremony alongside Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The event was held at Al-Buraq Plaza, an area Palestinians emphasize is an inseparable part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Israeli outlets portrayed the ceremony as a step toward reinforcing what they described as Jerusalem’s “international legitimacy,” highlighting that the event was deliberately opened to foreign diplomatic missions. Reports openly framed the initiative as part of Israel’s broader effort to impose its claim over Jerusalem as its so-called capital.

The Jerusalem Governorate issued a sharp condemnation, describing the event as an attempt to legitimize occupation policies and impose a fabricated sovereignty over Islamic holy sites. Palestinian officials warned that such activities aim to erode the long-standing religious and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa.

In a statement, Palestinian authorities stressed that the participation of foreign diplomats in ceremonies held at occupied holy sites constitutes a clear violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. They said such involvement serves Israeli narratives that seek to normalize the occupation of Jerusalem.

Officials reiterated that Al-Buraq Plaza forms an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, cautioning that religious rituals conducted under official Israeli sponsorship are being used as political tools to alter Jerusalem’s historical identity.

The statement also criticized what it described as the international community’s silence, warning that the lack of accountability continues to embolden actions aimed at changing the city’s religious, historical and legal character. (ILKHA)