Jordan’s King Abdullah informed a Palestinian delegation who paid him a visit in Amman on Sunday that Muslims had a responsibility to maintain the Christian and Islamic holy places in Jerusalem.
The delegation headed by Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, was assured by King Abdullah that “we will always be with you and that you will overcome all the problems before you.”
The Royal Court issued a statement following the meeting in which it stated that “King Abdullah emphasised that it is the responsibility of every Muslim to prevent Israeli escalations against Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem.”
He made his statement during Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims, and before the Passover and Easter holidays, when there is widespread concern that the tense holiday seasons could spark violence.
He reiterated the Hashemite Kingdom’s particular custodial relationship with Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy places, notably the Temple Mount, also referred to by Muslims as Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
Abdullah urges opposition to radical Israeli remarks
The international community should “take a position against the exclusionary and racist sentiments made recently by some Israeli authorities,” King Abdullah further urged.
The “displacement of Christians, as well as the persistent attacks on churches, religious figures, and Christian property in Jerusalem,” he continued, “are important.”
However, King Abdullah reaffirmed his support for an independent Palestinian state, arguing that measures to improve the West Bank’s economic and humanitarian situation should not in any way conflict with the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
According to the Royal Court, Abbas assured him that the Palestinians would “continue their resistance to the occupation, in pursuit of their fundamental rights.”
