As the world turns a blind eye to Jordan’s refusal to allow freedom of religion on the Temple Mount, Jordan accused Israel of breaching the delicate arrangement on the site. Israel has repeatedly made clear that it has no intention of changing the status quo.
Jordanian Media Affairs Minister Mohammad al-Momani released a statement slamming the “Israeli settlers and police” for storming the “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount).” Al-Momani said Israel’s actions at the site were “a violation of international laws and conventions” and could lead to “serious consequences.” Al-Momani was apparently referring to several incidents on Sunday in which Jews tried to pray at the site or acted inappropriately. Under the 1994 Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty, Jordan administers the Muslim sites on the Temple Mount through the Islamic Waqf religious trust.
Meanwhile, Palestinians are capitalizing on the large number of Israelis visiting Jerusalem during the Passover holiday by once again claiming that the Al-Aqsa mosque is “in danger.” Several Islamist groups took to social media to urge “all devout Muslims to defend the holy Al-Aqsa mosque against the Jews and their crusader allies’ attempts to defile it,” while traditional Palestinian media broadcasted false reports suggesting that the Israeli government strives to change the status quo at the holy site by “allowing thousands of Jews to ascend Al-Aqsa.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that Israel has no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, in which Jews are allowed to visit the compound but are banned from praying there or entering Al-Aqsa.
Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org