Kanaan deplores Likud Party proposal to divide Al Aqsa Mosque

AMMAN — The proposal to divide Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque that was submitted to Israel's Knesset is a "dangerous" escalation with "unpredictable" outcomes, Secretary-General of the Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs (RCJA) Abdullah Kanaan said on Thursday.

In statements to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Kanaan noted that the proposal, which was submitted by Knesset member Amit Halevi of the Likud Party, and circulated in media outlets, aimed to allocate Al Qibli Mosque and Jerusalem's southern yards to Muslims, and plans to Judaise northern site, including the Dome of the Rock.

Describing the move as "provocative," Kanaan noted that the proposal reflects efforts to impose Israel's sovereignty and end the historically, legally and popularly supported Jordanian role in Jerusalem.

Kanaan noted that historical and legal facts, including resolutions of the United Nations and its affiliated organisations, affirm that Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, with its total area of 144 dunums, is an exclusively Islamic property.

The secretary-general added that the Jordan-run Jerusalem Awqaf Department is the only authority responsible for managing Al Aqsa Mosque.

He called on the international community to preserve Jerusalem's status quo to achieve regional peace and security and make Israel to comply with the two-state solution, including the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Based on the Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem's Islamic and Christian holy sites, the RCJA stresses Jordan's "firm" position in defending Jerusalem and Palestine, Kanaan reiterated.

He noted that the Kingdom's role also aims to protect Jerusalem's holy sites from Judaisation and extremist schemes led by hardline Israeli parties and groups, which have failed in previous decades thanks to the steadfastness of Jerusalemites.