In an unexpected visit to Jordan, King Abdullah meets Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
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Salma Hossein
- . January 25, 2023
- . Update: January 25, 2023 6:09 pm
In an unexpected trip to Jordan on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with King Abdullah, who emphasised the value of Israel preserving the Al-Aqsa mosque’s present location, according to the royal court.
Far-right Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s minister of national security, visited the Al-Aqsa mosque compound this month, which Jews see as the Temple Mount, under heavy security. Palestinians were outraged by the visit, which also triggered unrest in Arab nations. After Mecca and Medina, the compound is the holiest site in both Judaism and Islam.
Abdullah encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who took office last month and is currently in Jordan for the first time since retaking office, to maintain the “historic and legal status quo in the Holy Aqsa mosque and not break it.”
In order for the long-stalled peace discussions between the Palestinians and Israel to resume, the bloodshed must end, according to reports from the monarch, who has had rocky relations with Netanyahu for years as a result of their tenure as the prime minister together.
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The two leaders, according to Netanyahu’s office, spoke about regional concerns, particularly the strategic, security, and economic cooperation between Israel and Jordan.
Given that it is in charge of maintaining the Muslim and Christian holy sites in the eastern portion of the city, Jerusalem is a particularly delicate subject for Jordan’s Hashemite royal family.
Jordan’s worries that ultra-right policies, such as the rapid construction of Jewish settlements in Palestinian lands in the West Bank, may start a fresh cycle of bloodshed have grown since Netanyahu’s return to office.
The monarchy is wary of provocative actions from ultra-right Jewish organisations that lead prayers at the Al-Aqsa compound, which Muslims regard as a mosque. There are worries that the prayer space would stoke religious fervour.
Jews and non-Muslims are allowed to attend but not to pray in the mosque compound, but Jordan claims Jewish religious nationalists are increasingly visiting the site and demanding the right for Jews to do so. That arrangement has been in place for a while.
Jordan, where many individuals of Palestinian heritage reside, is a steadfast friend of Washington. It is hoped that President Joe Biden’s administration will put pressure on Israel to maintain the status quo at the Al-Aqsa mosque.
King Abdullah is scheduled to visit Washington at the end of January, according to officials who spoke to Reuters. In order to advance the stalled Middle East peace process, he will discuss Jerusalem with senior U.S. officials and perhaps even meet Biden.
Soon after the visit by Ben-Gvir, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi. According to a State Department statement, Blinken stressed the value of maintaining the site’s historic status quo.
