WASHINGTON: Jordan鈥檚 King Abdullah, in a phone call on Monday with US President Joe Biden, warned of what he called 鈥渉ostile acts鈥� by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and 鈥渦nilateral measures鈥� that threaten the status quo of Jerusalem鈥檚 holy sites.
King Abdullah鈥檚 Hashemite dynasty is custodian of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no change in policy regarding a Jerusalem site also sacred to Muslims, after a far-right cabinet minister said Jews could pray there.
The compound, in Jerusalem鈥檚 walled Old City, houses Islam鈥檚 third-holiest shrine, Al-Aqsa mosque, and is also revered in Judaism as the Temple Mount, a vestige of two ancient temples.
Under a delicate decades-old 鈥渟tatus quo鈥� arrangement with Muslim authorities, Israel allows Jews to visit but refrain from prayer. The site is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and suggestions that Israel would alter rules about religious observance there have led to violence in the past.
鈥淗is Majesty warned of extremist settler violence against Palestinians, as well as unilateral Israeli measures that undermine the prospects of peace and target the historical and legal status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, which may fuel violence in the region,鈥� the Jordanian royal court said in a statement.
King Abdullah also discussed with Biden the need for de-escalation in the region and 鈥渆stablishing comprehensive calm to prevent a regional war,鈥� the royal court added.