Palestinian leader thanks Jordan for Jerusalem support

AMMAN — Speaker of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) Salim Zanoun on Thursday hailed His Majesty King Abdullah’s stands in defending the Muslim and Christian holy places in Jerusalem, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Zanoun highlighted efforts, led by His Majesty, to defend Al Aqsa Mosque/ Al Haram Al Sharif against attempts of temporal and spatial division by the Israeli forces, as part of a broader policy to impose its authority on the holy city’s Muslim and Christian sites.

The remarks by the speaker of the highest authority of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation echoed those of key Palestinian figures and Jerusalem awqaf officials.  

On Wednesday, His Majesty met with representatives of the Jerusalem Awqaf Department, Jerusalemites and Palestinians, who voiced appreciation for Jordan’s key role, under His Majesty’s leadership, in supporting the resilience of the legitimate residents of the holy city and preserving the Muslim and Christian holy sites, and the efforts Amman exerted to ensure the reopening of the compound after the Israel-imposed closure last month.

Sheikh Abdul Azim Salhab, who heads the Jerusalem Awqaf Council, said that without His Majesty’s intervention in Al Aqsa Mosque crisis, “things would have been worse”.

Salhab appealed to the King to continue efforts of tackling the challenges faced by the city residents including hindrances and interference in the affairs of the awqaf department by the occupation authorities.

Director General of Jerusalem Awqaf and Al Aqsa Affairs Sheikh Azzam Khatib said that the awqaf department, which is affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, will continue to defend the mosque along with Jordan, supported by 320,000 Jerusalemites.

Earlier this month, King Abdullah, who is the custodian of holy shrines in the Old City of Jerusalem, donated JD1 million to the awqaf department, the authority in charge of managing Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif. Zanoun underlined the gesture, voicing appreciation for such support.