Abdullah says kingdom has ‘duty’ to protect religious sites in city following closure of contested Gate of Mercy compound
Jordan’s King Abdullah II declared Wednesday that Jerusalem was “a red line” for his kingdom amid rising tensions over a contested building at the city’s Temple Mount.
“Jerusalem is a red line and we won’t change our stance. It is our duty to protect the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem,” Abdullah said while touring the Jordanian city of Zarqa.
Abdullah’s comments came after a Jerusalem court on Sunday said the compound known as the Gate of Mercy or Golden Gate on the Temple Mount should be closed while legal proceedings continue.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry rapped the decision, arguing that the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court did not have the authority to rule on matters pertaining to the Temple Mount because it is “occupied territory.”
The ministry called on Israel to cancel the court’s decision and not harm the status quo at the flashpoint site.
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