King says illegal provocative measures in Jerusalem push towards further escalation

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, in a series of phone calls on Monday with Arab, European, and UN leaders, discussed the latest developments related to the Palestinian cause and the recent violations in Jerusalem.

 King Abdullah discussed the Israeli escalations in Jerusalem in separate phone calls with King Mohammed VI of Morocco, chairman of Al Quds Committee, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and the deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, according to a Royal Court statement.

Discussions in the phone calls covered the need to maintain coordination and step up all efforts at the regional and international levels to cease the Israeli escalation in Jerusalem, end violations against the city, its holy sites and people, and create political horizons that fulfil the just rights of the Palestinian people, on the basis of the two-state solution.

 His Majesty underscored the importance of stopping all illegal and provocative Israeli measures in Jerusalem that violate the historical and legal status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif and push towards further escalation.

 The King noted that maintaining calm requires Israel to respect the historical and legal status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif.

Discussions in the phone calls also covered bilateral ties and means of bolstering cooperation across all fields.

Speaking with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and European Council President Charles Michel, His Majesty discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian arena and their negative repercussions on peace and security regionally and internationally.

The King warned that unilateral Israeli measures in the Palestinian Territories could compromise the two-state solution and prospects of comprehensive peace, expressing rejection of attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem.

His Majesty reiterated that any attempts seeking the temporal and spatial division of Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif are condemned and rejected, noting the need to protect worshippers and refrain from measures to obstruct access to the mosque or provoke worshippers, especially during Ramadan.

Also on Monday, His Majesty King Abdullah, in phone calls with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, discussed Israeli escalations in Jerusalem.

 The phone calls covered the importance of maintaining coordination to end Israeli violations against Jerusalem and its holy sites, and step up efforts towards just and comprehensive peace that fulfils the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, on the basis of the two-state solution.

The need to intensify efforts towards de-escalation in Jerusalem and respect the rights of Muslim worshippers to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif was also stressed.

King Abdullah called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility in working to end the illegal Israeli measures in Jerusalem, stressing the importance of preserving the historical and legal status quo at Al Haram Al Sharif.

His Majesty reaffirmed Jordan’s ongoing efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, under the Hashemite Custodianship.

The two phone calls also covered bilateral ties and means to expand cooperation across all sectors.