Jordan Summons Israel’s Envoy After Ambassador Stopped at Al-Aqsa

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Israel’s ambassador to Amman to protest after the Jordanian ambassador to Israel was prevented from entering the Temple Mount/Al Aqsa compound. Ambassador Eitan Surkis was given a letter of condemnation.

The Israel Police said the Jordanian head of the Waqf, which runs the site, and Ambassador Ghassan Majali arrived on Tuesday without advance notice and the men were asked to wait at the entrance to the site while waiting for instructions. The envoy left of his own accord instead of waiting, according to the police.

Majali returned and visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque after the meeting in Amman.

The incident comes days after British Minister of State for the Middle East Lord Tariq Ahmad was briefly delayed by police before he was granted permission to enter the compound so that he could visit al-Aqsa Mosque. It also follows an international outcry after Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the site for 13 minutes on January 3, after which Jordan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Surkis and accused Israel of violating the status quo.

In a statement on Tuesday Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “There is no change in Israel’s policy regarding the Temple Mount. Israel is committed to keeping the status quo on the Temple Mount and the freedom of worship in Jerusalem. The Israeli Police is responsible for law and order on the Temple Mount.”