Jordan king vows to protect Jerusalem holy sites
Abdullah under pressure to alter Jordan’s custodianship but says its a ‘red line’
Dubai: Jordan’s King Abdullah II is vowing to keep protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in Occupied Jerusalem, calling it a “red line” for his country.
Abdullah said Wednesday, during a visit to the Zarqa governorate outside Amman, that he’s under pressure to alter his country’s historic role as custodian of the Jerusalem holy sites but that he wouldn’t. Abdullah says: “I will never change my position toward Jerusalem in my life.”
He added that “all my people are with me.”
He did not specify what kind of pressure he was encountering.
A Jordanian-appointed council oversees Muslim holy sites in Occupied Jerusalem.
It claims exclusive authority over the Noble Sanctuary, or Temple Mount, compound and says it is not subject to Israeli jurisdiction.
Tensions have escalated in recent weeks with Israeli closure of the gates of the holy site to Muslims and ensuing clashes.
Jews are allowed to visit Al Haram Al Sharif, Islam’s third holiest site, but under a status quo agreement they cannot perform religious rituals there.
However, Jewish colonists are increasingly raiding the holy site in a bid to incite Muslim anger.