AMMAN – Jordan warned against the Israeli occupation’s ongoing attempts to change the historical and legal status quo in al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Haram Al Sharif) and impose temporal and spatial division.
In a statement carried by Petra News Agency on Sunday, Spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Haitham Abul Foul described the attempt as a serious escalation and a violation of international law and Israel’s responsibilities as the occupying power.
He said that Israel bears full responsibility for the “serious consequences” of this escalation, which undermines efforts to maintain the comprehensive calm and prevent the escalation of violence that threatens peace and security.
He underscored the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and take immediate action to pressure Israel to stop these practices.
The ministry also condemned the Israeli occupation’s police and forces ongoing raids on Al Aqsa Mosque and the forced removal of worshippers, while extremists storm the holy mosque under police escort.
Abul Foul underlined that Al Aqsa Mosque (Al Haram Al Sharif) in occupied Jerusalem, in its entire area of 144 dunums is purely a place of worship for Muslims and that the Jordanian-run Waqf (endowments) and al-Aqsa Affairs Administration in Jerusalem has the exclusive jurisdiction to run all the affairs of the holy site and organize entry to and exit from the compound.
He rejected Israeli statements alleging that occupation police has the right to allow non-Muslims to visit the compound, reiterating that the Waqf Administration has an exclusive right under the historical status quo.
The ministry, he added, continues to make contact and act on regional and international scales to stop the ongoing Israeli escalations, in addition to warning of their consequences, which undermine the comprehensive calm and push towards more violence and tension. (MENA)