Jordan has called for an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic nations to address concerns about increased Israeli activity at religious sites in Jerusalem. The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, follows what Jordanian officials describe as escalating government-backed incursions onto the compound containing al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock. A major incident occurred on 23 July when more than 2,000 Israelis, primarily from the religious right and including settlers led by national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir, entered the area known to Jews as the Temple Mount. Jordanian officials characterized this as the most severe violation of the status quo arrangement in modern history.
The status quo agreement, overseen by Jordan’s Hashemite monarchy for just over a century, establishes that only Muslims can pray at the al-Aqsa compound. Under this arrangement, the Western Wall remains reserved for Jewish prayer. The temple mount holds significance in Jewish tradition as the location of two ancient temples. Jordan has also expressed alarm about recruitment efforts for a special Temple Mount police unit and anticipates further challenges during major Jewish holidays in September, which will coincide with an election campaign.
Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, stated that alterations to the status quo could provoke religious conflict extending beyond Palestine and Jordan into the wider Muslim world. The emergency meeting will include representatives from Arab League countries, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Safadi emphasized that Jerusalem represents a volatile situation requiring international awareness of the dangers posed by continued Israeli measures.
Beyond concerns about the religious sites, Jordan faces broader anxieties regarding Palestinian displacement from the West Bank. The country hosts more than half its 11.5 million population as descendants of previous Palestinian refugees. Additionally, Jordan reports that Israel has reduced water supplies from a 2021 agreement providing 100 million cubic meters annually to the 50 million cubic meters stipulated in the 1994 peace treaty. Parliamentary member Dima Tahboub noted growing opposition to maintaining normal relations with Israel, citing disputes over West Bank annexation, water agreements, and challenges to Jordanian custodianship at al-Aqsa mosque.
Political dynamics within Jordan have also shifted, with the Islamist Umma party gaining significant parliamentary representation, winning more than 22% of available seats partly due to regional developments and the Gaza war. This surge in political Islam prompted the monarchy to slow its planned political reforms and power transfers to parliament.
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