Jordan’s King Abdullah warns of repeat Al Aqsa violence in Biden phone call
SMA NEWS – AMMAN
Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned on Monday against repeat violence in Jerusalem, keeping up a diplomatic effort focused on countering Israeli actions in the city after tension around Al Aqsa Mosque subsided.
The king has placed the mosque at the centre of Jordanian foreign policy in the past three months, after resuming high-level contact with Israeli officials.
Jordan is seeking higher regional profile since Donald Trump’s US administration sidelined the country as it focused on normalisation between Gulf Arab states and Israel.
The official news agency said the king agreed during a phone call with US President Joe Biden on the need to “prevent a repetition of the assaults on the city of Jerusalem, its shrines, and people”.
“His majesty affirmed the need to respect the historic and legal status quo of the Al Aqsa Mosque,” in the context of “the Hashemite custodianship of these shrines,” the agency said.
A US statement said Mr Biden “welcomed recent steps to reduce tensions and expressed his hope that the final week of Ramadan will pass peacefully”.
