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| Friction Grows Between Israel and Jordan Over Jerusalem Holy Site | Friction Grows Between Israel and Jordan Over Jerusalem Holy Site |
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| JERUSALEM — As Israel and Jordan neared the final stage of negotiations over their peace treaty, King Hussein of Jordan requested what Efraim Halevy, envoy for the Israeli prime minister, thought would be a deal killer: a clause giving Jordan a role in the future of Jerusalem and, especially, the holy place in the Old City that Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary. | JERUSALEM — As Israel and Jordan neared the final stage of negotiations over their peace treaty, King Hussein of Jordan requested what Efraim Halevy, envoy for the Israeli prime minister, thought would be a deal killer: a clause giving Jordan a role in the future of Jerusalem and, especially, the holy place in the Old City that Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary. |
| “I balked at that, because I had no mandate to discuss Jerusalem — this is not the kind of thing that can be dealt with offhand,” Mr. Halevy said. But “within a day or two, the prime minister gave me wording that was even stronger than the king had asked for,” he said, referring to the Israeli prime minister at the time, Yitzhak Rabin. | |
| Shortly after seizing the site in 1967, Israel returned control of all but security to Jordan, an arrangement that worked smoothly for years and was enshrined in the 1994 treaty. Now though, increasing friction between Jews and Muslims at the site and across Jerusalem has strained a relationship that both countries see as critical in warding off Islamist extremism in the region. | Shortly after seizing the site in 1967, Israel returned control of all but security to Jordan, an arrangement that worked smoothly for years and was enshrined in the 1994 treaty. Now though, increasing friction between Jews and Muslims at the site and across Jerusalem has strained a relationship that both countries see as critical in warding off Islamist extremism in the region. |
| Because of Jordan’s special role, whatever happens on the revered plateau — home of Al Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, and the site of the First and Second Temples of the ancient Jews — has regional repercussions. Jordanian officials have publicly leveled unusually harsh criticism at Israel’s actions. | Because of Jordan’s special role, whatever happens on the revered plateau — home of Al Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, and the site of the First and Second Temples of the ancient Jews — has regional repercussions. Jordanian officials have publicly leveled unusually harsh criticism at Israel’s actions. |
| “As tensions mount between Israelis and Palestinians, we will see tensions mount between Jordan and Israel,” warned Oraib al-Rantawi, director of Al Quds Center for Political Studies, a Jordanian research institute. | “As tensions mount between Israelis and Palestinians, we will see tensions mount between Jordan and Israel,” warned Oraib al-Rantawi, director of Al Quds Center for Political Studies, a Jordanian research institute. |
| “We have seen the tone change, from both the king himself and the statements released by Jordan, because they feel the level of violations against Al Aksa and worshipers are direct attacks on the credibility of the king, his reputation, and his role as the guardian of the holy site,” Mr. Rantawi said. “If anything happens to Al Aksa, it is not only about Jordanians. It strikes a chord with all Arabs and Muslims.” | “We have seen the tone change, from both the king himself and the statements released by Jordan, because they feel the level of violations against Al Aksa and worshipers are direct attacks on the credibility of the king, his reputation, and his role as the guardian of the holy site,” Mr. Rantawi said. “If anything happens to Al Aksa, it is not only about Jordanians. It strikes a chord with all Arabs and Muslims.” |
| King Abdullah, Hussein’s son and successor, shocked Israeli leaders earlier this month when he equated “Zionist extremism” with “Islamic extremism” and said “the Israelis are slaughtering our children in Gaza and Jerusalem every five minutes.” Jordan’s ambassador to Israel, Walid Obeidat, made the audience squirm at a Tel Aviv event on Sunday marking the 20th anniversary of the treaty when he said the escalation of security restrictions at the site and across the city “will ultimately imperil the treaty.” | King Abdullah, Hussein’s son and successor, shocked Israeli leaders earlier this month when he equated “Zionist extremism” with “Islamic extremism” and said “the Israelis are slaughtering our children in Gaza and Jerusalem every five minutes.” Jordan’s ambassador to Israel, Walid Obeidat, made the audience squirm at a Tel Aviv event on Sunday marking the 20th anniversary of the treaty when he said the escalation of security restrictions at the site and across the city “will ultimately imperil the treaty.” |
| Jordan called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council over the situation in Jerusalem, which was held on Wednesday. The Israeli police closed the Aksa compound on Thursday to head off unrest after Israeli forces killed a Palestinian suspected of shooting Yehuda Glick, a leader in the movement for more Jewish access to the site. The Jordanian minister of Islamic affairs, Hayel Daoud, condemned that closing as “state terrorism.” Later on Thursday, Israel announced that it would reopen the site Friday morning. | |
| The Hashemite kings of Jordan trace their lineage to the Prophet Muhammad; one of Abdullah’s ancestors, Hussein bin Ali, a former emir of Mecca, was interred at the Noble Sanctuary in 1931. | The Hashemite kings of Jordan trace their lineage to the Prophet Muhammad; one of Abdullah’s ancestors, Hussein bin Ali, a former emir of Mecca, was interred at the Noble Sanctuary in 1931. |
| Yitzhak Reiter, a Hebrew University expert on the holy sites and on Jordanian political history, said the Hashemites’ stewardship of Al Aksa, which includes paying the salaries of about 500 employees of the trust, the Islamic Waqf, which runs the shrine, “provides them with legitimacy.” | Yitzhak Reiter, a Hebrew University expert on the holy sites and on Jordanian political history, said the Hashemites’ stewardship of Al Aksa, which includes paying the salaries of about 500 employees of the trust, the Islamic Waqf, which runs the shrine, “provides them with legitimacy.” |
| In March, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority signed an agreement with King Abdullah reaffirming that the king was the custodian of the site, Professor Reiter noted. In 2007, the palace paid $15 million for a replica of its ancient pulpit. | In March, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority signed an agreement with King Abdullah reaffirming that the king was the custodian of the site, Professor Reiter noted. In 2007, the palace paid $15 million for a replica of its ancient pulpit. |
| “The Hashemites are alien to Jordan, they came from the Arabian Peninsula, so they need something,” Professor Reiter said. “It’s crucial for them. They reinforce it from time to time.” | “The Hashemites are alien to Jordan, they came from the Arabian Peninsula, so they need something,” Professor Reiter said. “It’s crucial for them. They reinforce it from time to time.” |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel over the past two months has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to the status quo at the site, which allows Jews to visit during certain hours and bars them from praying openly there. As Jordan had requested, Israel has also said it will suspend plans to repair the bridge that provides access to the site for non-Muslims. | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel over the past two months has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to the status quo at the site, which allows Jews to visit during certain hours and bars them from praying openly there. As Jordan had requested, Israel has also said it will suspend plans to repair the bridge that provides access to the site for non-Muslims. |
| Oded Eran, a former Israeli ambassador to Jordan who was among the guests at the Tel Aviv event, noted that Israeli officials did not react to the Jordanian envoy’s comments. Mr. Eran took the comments as an empty threat aimed at a domestic audience. | Oded Eran, a former Israeli ambassador to Jordan who was among the guests at the Tel Aviv event, noted that Israeli officials did not react to the Jordanian envoy’s comments. Mr. Eran took the comments as an empty threat aimed at a domestic audience. |
| “The Jerusalem issue is a big issue from the Jordanian point of view, but it’s not going to threaten” the peace treaty, Mr. Eran said. Noting that Israel and Jordan cooperate on security and share intelligence and are negotiating important deals on water and gas, he said of Jordan’s leaders: “They will lose a lot if something happens to the agreement. There are real daily existential needs, and Jordan cannot turn a blind eye to those.” | |
| But Mr. Rantawi, the Jordanian analyst, pointed out that the 20th anniversary of the treaty was not even observed in Amman, the Jordanian capital. “There was silence and lack of any acknowledgment,” he said. “Those who defended the peace treaty are finding it hard to do so in public.” | But Mr. Rantawi, the Jordanian analyst, pointed out that the 20th anniversary of the treaty was not even observed in Amman, the Jordanian capital. “There was silence and lack of any acknowledgment,” he said. “Those who defended the peace treaty are finding it hard to do so in public.” |
| He added ominously, “If anything happens to Al Aksa, then we will be entering a religious war between Muslims and Jews.” | He added ominously, “If anything happens to Al Aksa, then we will be entering a religious war between Muslims and Jews.” |