Jordan Warns of 'Imminent' Israeli Takeover Threat at Al Aqsa Mosque, Calls Emergency Meeting
- Jordan had warned that the status of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound faced an imminent threat from recent Israeli actions
- The Jordanian government had convened an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers to discuss the issue
- Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi had cautioned that any change to the site's status quo could trigger a wider religious conflict
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Jordan has warned of what it described as an "imminent" threat to the status of Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque compound, announcing an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers over fears that recent Israeli actions could spark a wider religious crisis.
The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, comes after a series of visits by Jewish religious groups to the compound, which houses the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
Source: Getty Images
According to Guardian, Jordan said the activities violated the long-standing arrangement under which Muslims alone are permitted to pray at the site.
Why is Jordan raising the alarm?
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said recent developments had raised serious concerns about the future of the holy site, which is under the custodianship of Jordan's Hashemite monarchy.
"This is a constant threat, a dangerous threat that we're trying to counter in every tool that we have possible," Safadi said.
"We warn that tampering with the status quo … could trigger a religious conflict that will reverberate beyond Palestine and Jordan into the whole Muslim world."
According to Jordan, tensions escalated after more than 2,000 Israeli religious activists, led by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, entered the compound in July and conducted prayers and religious rituals.
The Jordanian government also expressed concern over reports of a special police unit being created for the Temple Mount, the name by which Jews refer to the same site.
What is Jordan demanding?
Safadi said ministers from Arab League member states, as well as Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan, would meet to coordinate a response and draw international attention to the issue.
"We're trying to explain the danger. We're protesting legally. We are trying to create awareness of the imminent danger in the continuation of those Israeli measures," he said.
Jordan also warned against any attempt to displace Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, describing such a move as a "red line".
"Our position that this is a red line that we will not allow to be crossed. We have made that known to everybody that we will do whatever it takes to prevent any attempt at Israeli displacement of Palestinians into Jordan," Safadi said.
The Hashemite Kingdom has overseen the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem for decades under agreements reaffirmed in the 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel. Jordan maintains that preserving the current arrangement is essential to preventing further unrest in the region.
Trump: I don't care about international law
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Donald Trump dismissed the need to follow international law as his administration presses forward with a series of forceful foreign policy actions, including a military operation in Venezuela.
Speaking to The New York Times, the United States president said only his personal judgement would restrain his conduct.
Source: Legit.ng
