Jordan has announced plans to convene an emergency gathering of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic nations to address concerns about access and control of religious sites in Jerusalem. The initiative follows what Jordanian officials characterize as an escalating pattern of visits to the compound containing al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock by members of Jewish religious movements and Israeli government officials.
On July 23, a group of more than 2,000 Israelis, including settlers and the national security minister, visited the area known to Jews as the Temple Mount. According to Jordanian accounts, this event represented the most significant breach of an existing arrangement governing the site. Under a longstanding agreement overseen by Jordan’s monarchy, prayer privileges at the compound are restricted to Muslims, while the Western Wall nearby is designated for Jewish prayer. The site holds religious significance in both Judaism and Islam, with Jewish tradition holding it as the location of ancient temples, while Muslims revere it as home to important religious structures.
Jordanian officials have expressed alarm at additional developments, including efforts to recruit Jewish personnel for specialized security units focused on the Temple Mount area. They anticipate heightened tensions during major Jewish holidays scheduled for September, coinciding with an Israeli electoral campaign. Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned that alterations to the current arrangement could provoke religious conflict extending beyond the immediate region.
The gathering will include representatives from Arab League member states alongside officials from Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Jordan’s custodial role over the site dates to the early twentieth century and was reaffirmed through agreements following the 1967 war and a 1994 peace treaty with Israel. Past incidents, including a 2000 visit by Israeli political figure Ariel Sharon, have historically preceded periods of regional violence.
Jordan faces broader concerns regarding potential Palestinian displacement from the West Bank, which officials have designated as a critical threshold. The country hosts a significant Palestinian refugee population and has expressed anxiety about economic and demographic consequences of further migration. Additionally, recent disputes have emerged regarding water-sharing arrangements, with Israel reducing supply levels from those established under prior agreements.
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