Jordan’s King, Parliament and Public Incensed by Events at Al-Aqsa

Members of Jordan’s parliament demand expulsion of Israel's ambassador to Amman

[Amman] The Jordanian Foreign Ministry on Monday afternoon summoned chargé d’affaires Sami Abu Janeb, the senior Israeli diplomat currently in Amman, to “protest regarding all the illegal and provocative Israeli violations at Haram al-Sharif/Al-Aqsa Mosque” in Jerusalem.

Haram al-Sharif (“The Noble Sanctuary”), known to Jews as the Temple Mount, has been since Friday the scene of violence between Israel Police officers and Muslims trying to prevent non-Muslims from visiting the site.

Palestinian worshippers say the violence was initiated by the Israeli police and was unprovoked. The police say Palestinians were gathering and throwing stones and shooting fireworks at security personnel. The atmosphere was also enflamed by a group of Jewish zealots who said they planned to carry out the Passover sacrifice of a goat or lamb at the site – a practice that hasn’t been performed in almost 2,000 years. The Israeli government said a day earlier that no such sacrifice would be permitted on the mount.

A letter handed to Abu Janeb stressed the need for Israel “to respect the rights of the faithful to carry out their worship freely and without any restrictions,” Jordan’s foreign ministry said.

Dr. Haitham Abu Alfoul, the ministry’s spokesman, said the Israeli diplomat was asked to immediately transmit the message to his government.

“The letter demanded the immediate cessation of the Israeli violations that aim at changing the historical and legal status quo in Haram al-Sharif/Al-Aqsa Mosque and its attempts to divide the mosque by space and time,” the spokesman said.

“This represents a dangerous escalation and a violation that is rejected since it goes against international law and the obligations of Israel as the occupying power,” Abu Alfoul continued.

A petition demanding the expulsion of Israel’s ambassador in response to “ongoing Israel aggression” at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, signed by 88 of the 130 members of the Jordanian House of Representatives, was submitted to Parliament Speaker Abdel-Karim Deghmi on Monday.

Khalil Atiyeh, one of the most popular members of Parliament, told The Media Line: “We handed the petition to the speaker, and we insisted that the Israeli ambassador in Jordan should be sent away and that the Jordanian envoy to the occupier’s country is returned.”

It shows the Israelis that there is genuine dissatisfaction with what happened and puts pressure on the government to act, and at the same time it shows the Jordanian public that there is a movement by the people’s representatives

The petition says that Jordan must not limit itself to the statement of denunciation.

“Such an option doesn’t address the higher interests of Jordan nor does it soothe the feelings of our Jordanian people, and it certainly fails to be on par with the sacrifices of our Murabiton [Defenders of the Faith] who are steadfastly holding on in Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Atiyeh said.

The petition also calls on the Jordanian government to “insist on the Hashemite Custodianship and Guardianship [of the compound] and to take a strong position in the face of the blatant desecration of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

“I view with gravity the statements blaming Israel for the violence that we are being subjected to. Some are encouraging stone-throwing,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a video statement issued after Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh in televised remarks praised rioters at the Al-Aqsa compound. “This serves as a prize for the inciters, chief among them Hamas, who are trying to ignite violence here in Jerusalem,” Bennett said.

“I must laud … those throwing their stones at all of those Zionists who desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque with the protection of the Israeli occupation government,” al-Khasawneh had said.

Israel’s Justice Minister Gideon Saar also criticized Jordan’s harsh statements against Israel. “The statements made by senior officials in the Kingdom of Jordan are serious and unacceptable,” Saar said. “Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem as its capital ensures freedom of worship for members of all religions in the city. The attempts of extremists and terrorists, such as Hamas, to enflame the area through a false anti-Israel campaign are transparent and should be condemned.”

Hamadeh Faraneh, a columnist for the Jordanian Ad-Dustour daily, told The Media Line the lawmakers’ petition reflects the dissatisfaction in government circles with events in Jerusalem.

“This government has the trust of the king and had the confidence of the parliament. If the government doesn’t act decisively, that will pressure the members of Parliament to consider withdrawing their confidence from the government,” he said.

Atiyeh said he was pleased with the summoning of the chargé d’affaires but that the demands made in the petition must be fulfilled.

It is not clear whether a majority of Parliament members plan to carry out any parliamentary moves if they are not satisfied with the government’s reaction to their petition.

Muath Momani, the director of the Amman-based Lawyers Without Borders NGO, told The Media Line that he wonders why only 88 out of 130 members of Parliament signed the petition. “I am certain that there is overwhelming support in Jordan for the demands by the members of Parliament.”

Faraneh said that the petition serves two purposes.

“It shows the Israelis that there is genuine dissatisfaction with what happened and puts pressure on the government to act, and at the same time it shows the Jordanian public that there is a movement by the people’s representatives,” he said.

Tagreed Odeh, a political scientist in Jordan, told The Media Line the petition is a noticeable escalation in Jordan in light of what is happening in Jerusalem.

“The increase in blatant attacks by the Israeli occupiers in occupied Jerusalem is a clear violation of international law,” Odeh said.

Odeh said that Jordan, led by King Abdullah II, has not wavered in its “total and unreserved effort to stop the Israeli provocations, but it will need to bring together Arab, regional and international partners to stand up to Israel.”

Odeh said the emergency meeting of the Arab League committee to be hosted by Jordan on Thursday will attempt to draw up an Arab strategy to deal with this issue and to ensure the protection of the rights of the Palestinian people, while at the same time continue to work on enhancing efforts for peace and a return to negotiations.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Monday that the committee will include Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Qatar, Tunisia, and Algeria, in addition to Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

A nightly post-Iftar protest has been taking place near the Israeli embassy in the Rabia neighborhood of Amman. Protests have also been going on in many other locations. Jordanian professional unions and others have issued strong statements denouncing the Israeli actions against Muslim worshippers in Jerusalem.

Rioters inside and outside al-Aqsa threw stones and fireworks at police on Friday, and officers then entered the mosque. More than 150 Palestinians were injured, the Red Crescent Society said. Three police officers were lightly injured. Around 400 protesters were arrested.

After the violence ended, approximately 60,000 Muslims prayed in the compound.

Again on Sunday, protesters threw stones at police in the compound, albeit on a smaller scale. Several Palestinians were arrested and 17 were injured.

King Abdullah, who underwent a successful back operation in Germany over a week ago, broke from his medically imposed rehabilitation period and conducted a virtual meeting with his top aides. The Royal Hashemite Court released information about calls made by the king to the emir of Qatar, the president of Egypt, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, and the European Council president, stressing the importance of stepping up regional and international efforts to stop “Israeli escalations in Jerusalem, which undermine peace prospects.”

Abdullah also discussed the escalation with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Concern in Jordan regarding Jerusalem is focused on the last 10 days of Ramadan, which coincide with the end of Passover as well as Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, which will begin on the evening of April 27, a day before the celebration of Laylat al-Qadr, a day that Muslims believe coincides with the day that the Quran was revealed.