Jordan announced plans to convene an emergency gathering of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic nations to address escalating incursions at the al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock compound in Jerusalem. Jordanian officials characterize these incursions as violations of a longstanding status quo agreement that reserves the site for Muslim prayer, with the most significant recent incident occurring on 23 July when more than 2,000 Israeli participants, many affiliated with religious and settler movements and led by the national security minister, entered the compound for prayer and religious rituals. Jordan’s foreign minister stated that such actions pose an “imminent” threat and could “trigger a religious conflict” with implications beyond the immediate region.
The status quo arrangement governing the compound dates back over a century and was reaffirmed following the 1967 conflict and the 1994 Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. Under this agreement, the Western Wall remains reserved for Jewish prayer, while Muslims retain exclusive prayer rights at the broader compound. The site holds significance for both Judaism, as the location of two ancient temples, and Islam, as one of the most important religious destinations in the Muslim world. Jordanian leadership expressed alarm at recent recruitment initiatives for a specialized police unit focused on the Temple Mount, anticipating additional challenges during Jewish holidays expected to occur in September amid an intense election campaign.
Beyond concerns regarding the compound itself, Jordan faces broader anxieties about potential Israeli actions in the West Bank and their consequences for regional stability. Jordanian officials warned that mass displacement of Palestinians could destabilize the country economically, politically, and demographically, given that Palestinians and their descendants already comprise over half of Jordan’s population. Additionally, Israel’s revision of a water-sharing agreement has reduced annual allocations to Jordan from 100 million cubic meters to 50 million cubic meters, a reduction Jordanian officials attribute to geopolitical tensions.
The escalating tensions have energized political movements within Jordan, particularly Islamist parties whose influence has grown substantially following recent regional developments. This political shift has prompted the monarchy to reconsider its approach to democratic reforms and parliamentary power-sharing arrangements. Jordanian lawmakers expressed concern about what they characterize as persistent challenges to Jordan’s custodianship and restrictions on Palestinian access to the site, factors they identify as contributing to anti-normalization sentiment within the country regarding relations with Israel.
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