The Palestinian Authority and Jordan were quick to condemn National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s 15-minute visit to al-Aqsa Mosque compound (the Temple Mount) on Tuesday morning.
Both the PA and Jordan seek to be known among the Arabs and Muslims as “defenders” of the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, including the Aqsa Mosque compound. So do other parties, such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
According to the PA, Ben-Gvir’s visit was part of Israel’s policy to change the “historical status quo” at the site by allowing Jews to pray there on a regular basis.
The PA is convinced that Israel is working to divide the Temple Mount in time and space between Muslim and Jewish worshipers.
The PA believes that Israeli plans concerning al-Aqsa Mosque compound are within the context of a larger scheme to “Judaize” the site and the entire city of Jerusalem.
Although the PA has no official status at the site, it has been acting behind the scenes over the past few years to establish a foothold there.
The PA’s efforts intensified in the aftermath of recurring attempts by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to present themselves as the main “defenders” of Aqsa Mosque against alleged Jewish schemes and conspiracies.
For Jordan, the most important thing is to ensure that the Hashemite custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem (including al-Aqsa Mosque compound) not be undermined or eliminated.
This custodianship is crucial for the Jordanian monarch and the royal family because, they believe, it bolsters their political and religious standing among many Arabs and Muslims.
Relations between Israel and Jordan appeared to have improved significantlyunder the former government headed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. This was in sharp contrast to the tensions that existed between the kingdom and the previous government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
At that time, tensions reached a peak when reports in some media outlets suggested that the Netanyahu government was seeking to give other Arabs, specifically Saudi Arabia, a role in administering the Aqsa Mosque compound, which has long been controlled by Jordan’s Wakf Islamic religious trust in east Jerusalem.
The return of Netanyahu to power has revived the fears of the Jordanians. Like the Palestinians, Jordan also believes that Israel is seeking to change the status quo at the holy site. The Jordanians fear that Israel is not only trying to pave the way for Jewish prayers, but it also wants to end the Hashemite custodianship over the site.
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