Jordan sends ‘memo of protest’ to Israel over Al-Aqsa settler incursions

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) – Jordan has sent a memo of protest to Israel over settler incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem.

More than 1,000 Israeli settlers forced their way into the flashpoint site on Wednesday on the 5th day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which will end on October 6.

In a statement, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said the memo of protest was sent to the Israeli Embassy in Amman against “incursions by hardliners, settlers and Knesset members into the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection.”

The memo also protests “the restriction of access for worshippers to the mosque, the desecration of Islamic graves, and the increasing attacks on Christians in occupied Jerusalem.”

“Israel, as the occupying power, must adhere to its obligations under international law concerning the city of Jerusalem and its religious sites, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque,” ministry spokesman Sufian Qudah said.

The spokesman called on Israel to halt any actions that might undermine the sanctity of these holy places and to cease any attempts to change the historical and legal status of Jerusalem.

“The memo reiterates that the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunums, is solely a place of worship for Muslims,” Qudah stressed. “The Jordanian-run Waqf and Al-Aqsa Affairs Administration in Jerusalem have exclusive authority over all matters related to the holy site and its access.”

Jordan has been the official custodian of Muslim and Christian holy places in Jerusalem since 1924.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, a move never recognized by the international community.