Key facts
- Jordan is convening an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers over perceived Israeli threats to the al-Aqsa mosque compound.
- The meeting aims to address the potential for Israeli actions to "trigger a religious conflict".
- Over 2,000 Israelis, including settlers, entered the site on July 23, performing prayers and rituals.
- Jordanian officials consider this a severe violation of the established status quo.
- Jordan fears potential Israeli actions in the West Bank, including mass deportations of Palestinians, which would destabilize the region.
Jordan is convening an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic nations to address what it describes as an "imminent" threat posed by Israeli actions at the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem. The Hashemite kingdom, which holds custodianship over the site, warns that these actions could "trigger a religious conflict" that would have far-reaching consequences.
The Jordanian warning follows a significant increase in incursions by Jewish religious extremists onto the compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in violation of a long-standing status quo treaty. On July 23, over 2,000 Israelis, including settlers and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, entered the area, praying and performing rituals. Jordanian officials have labeled this the most severe violation in modern history.
Amman is also alarmed by a recent recruitment drive for a special Temple Mount police unit for religious Jews and anticipates further challenges to Jordanian custodianship during the upcoming Jewish holidays in September. These holidays coincide with an intense election campaign in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition is fighting for survival.
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stated that "tampering with the status quo" could ignite a religious conflict extending beyond Palestine and Jordan into the entire Muslim world. He described Jerusalem as a "tinderbox" and urged the international community to be aware of the "imminent danger" posed by continued Israeli measures.
Jordan's custodianship of the al-Aqsa compound dates back to Ottoman times and was reaffirmed in the 1994 Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. Historical precedents, such as Ariel Sharon's 2000 visit, have ignited significant violence, including the second intifada.
Beyond the religious site, Jordan is concerned about potential Israeli actions in the West Bank before the upcoming elections, including mass deportations of Palestinians. Such an event would destabilize Jordan economically and politically, given that individuals of Palestinian descent already form over half of its 11.5 million population. Jordan has stated it will "do whatever it takes to prevent any attempt at Israeli displacement of Palestinians into Jordan."
Further straining relations, Israel has reportedly halved Jordan's water supply, a move seen as retaliation for Jordanian criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza. This has fueled anti-normalization sentiment within Jordan, as articulated by Member of Parliament Dima Tahboub, who called for greater international pressure against Israeli encroachments.