Jordan announced plans to convene an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic nations to address concerns over increased Israeli activity at religious sites in Jerusalem’s Old City. Jordanian officials characterized the situation as an imminent threat to al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, warning that such developments could trigger broader regional conflict.
The Jordanian government cited a July incident in which over 2,000 Israelis participated in religious observances at the compound, describing it as the most significant violation of a longstanding status quo agreement in modern history. Jordan, through its Hashemite monarchy, has maintained custodianship over the religious compound since the 1967 conflict, a role reaffirmed in the 1994 Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. Under this arrangement, Muslims are granted exclusive prayer rights at the al-Aqsa compound, while Jews are permitted to pray at the Western Wall. Jordan also expressed concern about recruitment efforts for a specialized Temple Mount police unit and anticipated further tensions during major Jewish holidays scheduled for September.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned that continuing Israeli measures could destabilize the region and create ripple effects throughout the Muslim world. The emergency meeting was to include representatives from Arab League countries as well as Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Safadi stated that changes to the established arrangement concerning the religious sites could “trigger a religious conflict that will reverberate beyond Palestine and Jordan into the whole Muslim world.”
The situation reflects broader tensions between Israel and Jordan regarding Palestinian territories and resource allocation. Jordan expressed particular concern about potential mass displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank, which Jordanian officials identified as a critical threshold they would resist. Additionally, disputes over water-sharing agreements have strained relations, with Israel reducing annual water transfers following Jordanian criticism of Israeli military operations in Gaza.
The political dynamics within Jordan have shifted significantly, with Islamist parties gaining substantial parliamentary representation in recent elections, partly driven by developments affecting Palestinians in territories under Israeli control. These domestic political changes have complicated Jordan’s efforts to maintain stable relations with Israel while responding to public sentiment regarding Palestinian and Islamic concerns.
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