Israel considering harsh response to Jordan on Temple Mount

(A7) Israel is considering possible responses to the conduct of the Jordanian foreign minister, who summoned an Israeli representative to Jordan for a clarification call.

Political sources claim that Jordan’s conduct in recent days has encouraged tensions in Jerusalem and backed Arab riots in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem noted that Israel eased restrictions for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but its leniency was used to gather and store stones to throw at security forces and Jewish worshipers and to engage in riots. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid have claimed over the past few months that there has been a significant warming in Israeli-Jordanian relations and recently King Abdullah met with Defense Minister Benny Gantz and President Isaac Herzog.

Earlier, Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh criticized the conduct of Israeli security forces on the Temple Mount.

At a parliamentary session this morning, Al-Khasawneh said: “I congratulate all Palestinians and all Jordanian Islamic Waqf workers who stand as tall as a turret and those who throw stones at pro-Zionists who defile the al-Aqsa Mosque in the security of the Israeli occupation government.”

The Jordanian prime minister also said that Israel’s attempt to “divide the Al Aqsa Mosque” by allegedly allowing Jews times to pray on the Temple Mount was halted and they will continue to block it: “We will not allow this.”

At the same time, the Jordanian parliament submitted to the government a memorandum signed by 87 members demanding the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Jordan in protest of what has been called the “Israeli attacks on the Al Aqsa Mosque.”