Al-Aqsa mosque: Jordan’s King Abdullah meets Netanyahu

• This is Netanyahu’s first trip to Jordan and his first meeting with King Abdullah since June 2018.
• Jordan’s ambassador also paid a visit to the mosque.
• King Abdullah stressed the importance of maintaining calm and ceasing all acts of violence.

Al-Aqsa: Jordan’s King Abdullah met Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Amman on Tuesday, according to a statement from Jordan’s Royal Hashemite Court, amid rising diplomatic tensions over the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

An Israeli delegation as well as several Jordanian officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, attended the meeting on Tuesday. After its envoy Ghassan Majali was barred from entering the mosque on January 17, Amman summoned the Israeli ambassador.

Jordan’s ambassador paid a visit to the mosque after the extreme right-wing Israeli Minister for National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed the compound, which is Islam’s third holiest site, drawing condemnation from the Muslim world. It was dubbed “an unprecedented provocation” by Palestinians.

The Jordan-based Jerusalem Waqf is the sole authority in charge of overseeing Jerusalem’s holy sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

King Abdullah “emphasized the importance of respecting the historical and legal status quo in Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif,” according to the statement.

The compound’s status quo has been threatened by right-wing Jewish groups’ repeated (and often successful) attempts to enter the esplanade.

Jews are not permitted to pray at the site; however, some far-right Israelis have been calling for a change in the religious status quo and want to be allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa compound.

The site also contains the iconic golden Dome of the Rock, which Muslims refer to as the Noble Sanctuary (al-Haram al-Sharif) and Jews refer to as the Temple Mount.

“King Abdullah stressed the importance of maintaining calm and ceasing all acts of violence in order to pave the way for a political horizon for the peace process, calling for an end to any measures that could undermine peace prospects,” the statement continued.

The king reaffirmed Jordan’s support for a two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 border lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in peace and security alongside Israel.

In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured East Jerusalem and later annexed it, a move that was widely condemned by the international community.

“Discussions also covered bilateral ties and the importance of the Palestinian people benefiting from economic and regional projects,” according to the statement.

His Majesty King Abdullah II meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Amman and stresses importance of respecting the historical and legal status quo in Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif#Jordan

— RHC (@RHCJO) January 24, 2023

This is Netanyahu’s first trip to Jordan and his first meeting with King Abdullah since June 2018.

This is also Netanyahu’s first foreign trip since their re-election as Prime Minister in December.

“The two leaders discussed regional issues, particularly strategic, security, and economic cooperation between Israel and Jordan, which contributes to regional stability,” according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.

נפגשתי היום עם מלך ירדן עבדאללה. דנו בסוגיות אזוריות, בדגש על שיתוף הפעולה האסטרטגי, הביטחוני והכלכלי בין ישראל לירדן, התורם ליציבות האזור.

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) January 24, 2023

Today, I had a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah. We discussed regional issues, emphasizing Israel and Jordan’s strategic, security, and economic cooperation, which contributes to regional stability.

“They also praised Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom’s long-standing friendship and partnership,” the statement added.

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