Exclusive: UK says Jordan Al-Aqsa custodianship 'must be respected'
The British government has said Jordan's custodianship of Jerusalem's holy sites "must be respected" in a statement to Middle East Eye.
Lat week MEE reported that the US and Israel are conspiring to strip the Jordanian royal family of its historic custodianship of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is enshrined in a long-standing status quo agreement.
MEE put a recent letter independent MP Shockat Adam wrote to the British foreign secretary about the reported US-Israeli plans to the Foreign Office.
In response, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We value Jordan's important role as custodian of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem. The historic status quo arrangements at Jerusalem’s Holy Sites must be respected."
This is the first time the British government has reaffirmed its support for Jordanian custodianship since the MEE report.
US, Jordanian and Palestinian officials, as well as western and Gulf Arab sources, told MEE last week that under the plan, championed by President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has no official role in the administration, and the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, the authority of the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf would abruptly end.
According to the plan, a new body created by the Israeli government would declare the Al-Aqsa Mosque a "multi-faith centre".
According to the officials, all of whom requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, the "new arrangement" would grant Jews "equal access" to the Muslim site and formally allow large-group Jewish prayer.
Israel would also have a major say over the appointment of imams, preachers and senior mosque officials, and would also be involved in signing off on the content mentioned in Friday sermons.
'Outrage and alarm'
In a letter sent on 29 May to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Adam said: "Many constituents have contacted me expressing outrage and alarm at these reports.
"For Palestinians and Muslims around the world, Al-Aqsa Mosque is not only a place of worship, but a symbol of identity, dignity, and protection against ongoing dispossession."
Adam asked Cooper a series of questions. He asked whether the government has raised the reports "directly with the Israeli and US governments".
He asked whether the government continues to support Jordan's custodianship role over Al-Aqsa.
Adam further asked what assessment the government has made of the "risks of further ethnic cleansing" and instability arising "from attempts to alter the status of the holy sites".
He also asked whether the government would "publicly oppose any efforts to undermine Jordan's recognised custodianship role".
Official UK policy is to accept Jordan's custodianship over Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
The British government has recently hardened its criticism of the Israeli government, particularly over the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
MEE reported on Wednesday that, according to sources close to the government, ministers are considering imposing a ban on imported goods from illegal Israeli settlements.
This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.
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