Jordanian King, Israel’s PM Meet, Commit To Status Quo at Jerusalem Holy Site
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made a surprise visit to Amman, Jordan Tuesday, where he met with King Abdullah II.
“The two leaders discussed regional issues, especially strategic, security, and economic cooperation between Israel and Jordan, which contributes to regional stability,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “They also praised the long-standing friendship and partnership between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom,” the statement also said.
The Jordanian king emphasized the need to maintain calm on Haram Al-Sharif/the Temple Mount, the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem’s Old City, and cease all acts of violence in order to restart the Middle East peace process.
A statement by the Jordanian Royal Hashemite Court said the king stressed the importance of respecting the status quo at the site, which is holy to both Judaism and Islam, and underlined Jordan’s support for a two-state solution that establishes a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Netanyahu promised Abdullah that the status quo, under which non-Muslims may visit the Temple Mount/Haram Al-Sharif but not pray there, would be maintained, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
