Amman: Lawmakers voiced support on Wednesday for His Majesty King Abdullah II's call for a unified Arab and Islamic position to confront Israeli measures in Jerusalem, saying his meeting with an Arab ministerial committee underscored Jordan's commitment to defending the city and the Palestinian cause.
According to Jordan News Agency, members of parliament stated that the meeting sent a political message emphasizing Jerusalem as a top priority for Jordan and stressing that the international community should respect the city's historical and legal status. The meeting aimed to bolster the resilience of the Palestinian people, particularly residents of Jerusalem, and reaffirm Jordan's longstanding role in defending the Palestinian cause and protecting Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites.
The lawmakers highlighted that the king's emphasis on the need for a unified Arab and Islamic position in response to Israel's illegal measures in Jerusalem reflects Jordan's consistent policy in light of what they described as growing threats facing the holy city. They added that King Abdullah continues to lead Arab and international political and diplomatic efforts to protect Jerusalem and its holy sites while defending the historical and legal rights of the Palestinian people.
The Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites, they noted, represents not only a historical responsibility but also the primary line of defense for Al-Aqsa Mosque against attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in the city. They emphasized the king's warning against efforts to impose a new reality in Jerusalem and highlighted the need for urgent international action to halt such measures and uphold international law.
During the meeting, attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, King Abdullah warned against exploiting regional instability to impose a new reality in Jerusalem and cautioned that continued Israeli escalation in the occupied West Bank and attempts to annex territory and expand settlements could widen the conflict. His Majesty also reaffirmed Jordan's commitment to its historical and legal role in safeguarding Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites under the Hashemite Custodianship.
First Deputy Speaker of the Lower House Khamis Atiyeh stated that the king's call for Arab and Islamic unity reflected Jordan's clear understanding of the challenges facing Jerusalem amid Israeli policies that violate international law and established norms. Atiyeh accused the Israeli government of pursuing a systematic policy aimed at changing Jerusalem's Arab and Islamic identity through actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, settlement expansion, and the displacement of Palestinians, warning that such policies could further destabilize the region.
Atiyeh urged the international community to move beyond statements of condemnation and take effective measures requiring Israel, as the occupying power, to halt its actions and comply with international law and United Nations resolutions. He emphasized that Jordan, under His Majesty King Abdullah's leadership, would remain a steadfast supporter of Jerusalem and Palestine, adding that attempts to alter Jerusalem's identity or impose new realities would fail in the face of Palestinian resilience, Jordan's position, and Arab and Islamic support for protecting the holy sites.
Lawmaker Mustafa Al-Amawi remarked that one of the key messages from the king's meeting was the reaffirmation of the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites, describing Jordan's role in the city as political, historical, and religious. Al-Amawi noted that the meeting stressed the importance of coordinating Arab and Islamic positions, particularly in light of current developments affecting Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, while reinforcing international diplomatic efforts to halt Israeli actions against the city and its holy sites.
According to Al-Amawi, support for the Palestinian cause and the protection of Jerusalem have consistently featured in King Abdullah's meetings with international leaders and during his overseas visits. The meeting also sought to support the resilience of Palestinians living in Jerusalem, emphasizing their continued presence as important to the viability of a two-state solution and sending a message to the international community regarding restrictions imposed on Palestinians, including limitations on access to places of worship.
Lawmaker Mustafa Al-Khasawneh emphasized that the king's remarks reflected Jordan's longstanding principles regarding the Palestinian issue and Jerusalem, particularly the historical and legal foundations of the Hashemite custodianship. The custodianship is more than a symbolic title, described as a political and legal framework rooted in historical and religious legitimacy dating back to the 1924 pledge of allegiance by Palestinians to Sharif Hussein bin Ali and reinforced by the 2013 agreement between King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Al-Khasawneh underscored the king's repeated warnings against attempts to exploit regional unrest to alter the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, reflecting growing concerns over Israeli policies in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Jordan continues to serve as a leading advocate for Palestinian rights and calls for broad Arab and Islamic support for the Hashemite Custodianship as a basis for coordinated international diplomatic efforts.
Lawmaker Aoun Al-Zoubi pointed out that the king's call for a unified Arab and Islamic position to halt Israeli measures in Jerusalem reflects Jordan's consistent commitment to defending Muslim and Christian holy sites and its historical and legal responsibilities under the Hashemite Custodianship. He stressed the need for urgent international action to halt attempts to impose a new reality in Jerusalem and uphold international law.
Al-Zoubi concluded that Jordan would remain at the forefront of efforts to defend Jerusalem, its holy sites, and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.