The American administration is concerned about the recent developments in relations between the new Netanyahu government and the PA and Arab countries, especially with Jordan, and is sending two senior representatives to Israel to get to the bottom of the Netanyahu government’s new policy and to clarify the administration’s red lines ahead of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s expected visit to Washington Next month and his meeting with President Biden.
Jack Sullivan, National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Tony Blinken will arrive in Israel, a few days apart, to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other leaders in the region, the visits will also deal with the issue of the Iranian danger and the consequences of the war in Ukraine
Tony Blinken spoke on the phone with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi at the beginning of the week and heard from him the serious concerns of the Jordanian royal house about the policy of the new Netanyahu government regarding Jerusalem and the status quo on the Temple Mount and the intentions of the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir.
Before the phone call, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed harsh messages to the State Department that Prime Minister Netanyahu is misleading regarding his true intentions on the Temple Mount and that he is acting in a sophisticated way to change the status quo.
The Jordanians accuse Netanyahu of planning to give Saudi Arabia a foothold on the Temple Mount in exchange for a normalization agreement between the two countries.
The Jordanians also complained to the Biden administration that Netanyahu is trying to create a conflict between Morocco and Jordan in regards to Jordan’s status as responsible for the holy places in Jerusalem according to the 1994 peace agreement and that he also promised Morocco a status in East Jerusalem.
Senior political officials in Jerusalem say in response that the Jordanian claims are baseless.
Heading for a big explosion?
The Temple Mount is the third most important place in Islam and is as sacred as the cities of Mecca and Medina, it is considered by many to be the explosive barrel of the Middle East that could explode at any moment if the status quo since 1967 is changed.
Arab countries that have peace and normalization agreements with Israel follow with great concern the first steps of the Netanyahu government, and especially of Itamar Ben Gvir, who they consider a provocateur, and they fear that he wants to set the Middle East on fire over the control of the Temple Mount.
The Jordanians are sure that Ben Gvir is working, with Netanyahu’s backing, to change the status quo on the Temple Mount in the same way that Israel changed the situation in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron in 1994 and divided the holy site physically between Jews and Muslims and established new prayer procedures.
King Abdullah who belongs to the Hashemite dynasty which considers itself a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad is very concerned, for him any harm to the status quo on the Temple Mount is a harm to Jordan’s national security.
The Jordanian street is furious from Itamar bin Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount to such an extent that the retired Jordanian general Muhammad Al-Badarin explained that King Abdullah felt that he must act in all ways to prevent the status quo on the Temple Mount from changing in any way possible.
He sent a threat to Israel and said:
The Israeli experts know that a well-trained Jordanian infantry force can penetrate deep into Israel within hours.
The Jordanian royal house did not comment on the statement and did not express any objection to it.
King Abdullah’s expectation is that Netanyahu will restrain Ben Gvir so that he does not destroy the peace agreement between the two countries, says a senior Jordanian commentator.
