Plan to strip Jordan of Al-Aqsa custodianship could spark violence, expert warns

A US-Israeli proposal to strip Jordan of its historic custodianship over Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque complex could lead to an 'outbreak of violence' and 'shockwaves throughout the Arab and Muslim world,' according to Israeli-American attorney Daniel Seidemann.

Seidemann, founder of the NGO Terrestrial Jerusalem, confirmed a report detailing the plan, which allegedly aims to transform the Al-Aqsa Mosque into a 'multi-faith centre.' He emphasized that Jordanian custodianship is 'absolutely essential to maintaining the stability of Al-Aqsa,' warning that mishandling the site's complexities makes it 'one of the most dangerous places on the planet.'

Sources told Middle East Eye that the plan, reportedly championed by Jared Kushner, would end the authority of the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf and create a new Israeli government-backed body. This new arrangement would reportedly grant Jews 'equal access' and formally allow large-group Jewish prayer at the Muslim site. Some reports suggest Arab countries could be granted 'rotational' oversight.

However, a US official denied the White House was actively working on such a plan, calling the report 'totally false.'

Jordan's custodianship over the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its complex is deeply tied to the legitimacy of the Hashemite monarchy, tracing back to 1924. This role was later acknowledged in Jordan's 1994 peace treaty with Israel. Seidemann stated that without this custodianship, Jordan 'as a state, would be widely perceived as an artificial construct.' Israel gained control of East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 war, an occupation considered illegal under international law.