Jordan condemns the "invasion" of a radical right-wing Israeli minister into Al-Aqsa Square
In a statement on Tuesday, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the far-right Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, for "breaking into" the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard, considering it a "provocative step" and "harbingers of further escalation."
The statement quoted the official spokesman for the ministry, Sinan al-Majali, as saying, "The storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by a minister of the Israeli government and violating its sanctity is a provocative step that is condemned, and represents a flagrant and unacceptable violation of international law, and of the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its sanctities."
He added, "The continuous violations and attacks on sanctities, in conjunction with the continuous Israeli incursions into the occupied Palestinian territories, warn of further escalation and represent a dangerous trend that the international community must work to stop immediately."
Al-Majali stressed that "the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Qudsi Al-Sharif, with its entire area of 144 dunums, is a pure place of worship for Muslims, and that the Jordanian Department of the Jerusalem Endowments and the Affairs of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is the legal authority that has the exclusive jurisdiction to manage the affairs of the Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Israel, which signed a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994, recognizes the Kingdom’s supervision and guardianship over the Islamic sanctities in Jerusalem, which, like other cities in the West Bank, were subject to Jordanian sovereignty before the Jewish state occupied it in 1967.
The Jordanian Monarch King Abdullah II said at the end of last month, and in His answer to a question by CNN whether the status quo and his role as custodian of the holy places in Jerusalem is threatened by the expectations associated with the new Israeli government, that "there are always people trying to push for that, and this is a source of concern, but I don't think those Individuals are under the eyes of Jordan only, but they are under the eyes of the international community."
He added, "We live in a difficult region and this is something we are used to, and if a side wants to provoke a confrontation with us, we are well prepared, but I always like to look at the full half of the glass."
The king continued, "On the other hand, we have red lines, and if someone wants to cross these red lines, we will deal with that, but we realize that many parties in Israel share our concern."
Ben Gvir visited Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday, for the first time since taking office, according to his spokesman, which angered the Palestinians, who consider the move provocative.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the first of the two qiblas and the third of the Two Holy Mosques after Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina in Saudi Arabia.
As for the Jews, they consider the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which they call the Temple Mount, the holiest site in their religion.
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