US President Joe Biden and Jordan’s King Abdullah II agreed to prevent a repeat of recent clashes at Jerusalem’s Muslim holy sites, state media reported.
When Abdullah II called Biden on Monday, he was cited as stating the foundation of peace was a two-state solution with a Palestinian state alongside Israel, which he called the “cornerstone.”
According to Petra’s official news agency, Jordan’s King and the US President both underscored the significance of continuing coordination and work on all levels to prevent a recurrence of attacks on the city of Jerusalem and its sacred places and its people.
Abdullah II, the ruler of the Hashemite dynasty, is spearheading a diplomatic campaign to put pressure on Israel, the country he blames for the escalation at the Al-Aqsa compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.
The religious holidays of Passover and Ramadan coincided this year, which has sparked religious tensions and prompted worldwide concerns about a possible resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian war.
Israel was accused by Jordan and other Arab countries of restricting Muslims’ ability to worship while allowing ultra-nationalist Jews protected by the police to enter the mosque site during a meeting on Thursday in Amman.
It’s a long-standing ban against Jewish prayer at the compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque that Israel says it is maintaining, dismissing the Arab League’s claim that it is allowing such worship to take place.
The last few days of Ramadan are traditionally a time when Israel restricts Jewish travel to the country.
