Jordan faces an existential choice over the defence of Al-Aqsa

Jordan faces an existential choice over the defence of Al-Aqsa Submitted by Peter Oborne on Fri, 05/29/2026 - 16:41 If King Abdullah II goes to war to protect the holy site, his nation may find it has more allies than Trump and Netanyahu expect King Abdullah II visits the army command in Amman on 8 March 2026 (Jordanian Royal Palace/AFP) Off Muslims have been praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque for around 1,400 years. Israel has had its eyes on the holy site since the state’s creation in 1948, and its leaders have made increasingly aggressive attempts to seize control over the last quarter-century. In September 2000, Ariel Sharon, then Israel’s opposition leader, stormed Al-Aqsa complex with more than 1,000 police officers. The move provoked the Second Intifada. It was also the start of Israel’s creeping takeover of Al-Aqsa complex, which alongside Mecca and Medina, is among Islam’s three holiest sites .  In theory and by law, the custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque is King Abdullah II of Jordan . He is responsible for its maintenance, security, and - if need be - defence. But ever since the Sharon outrage, Israel has whittled away at Jordanian control. When I visited last month, Israeli security forces were everywhere, with a police station set up at the centre of the compound. Mosque workers told me they cannot repaint their offices or mend a water pipe without Israeli permission. The walls of the ancient prayer hall at the southern end of the site are pitted with bullet holes, where Israeli forces have opened fire on worshippers.  According to the longstanding status-quo arrangement, which is supported by international law , this interference is not just outra...

Original source: Middle East Eye