Amman, Aug. 5 (Petra) -- Lawmakers voiced support on Wednesday for His Majesty King Abdullah II's call for a unified Arab and Islamic position to confront Israeli measures in Jerusalem, saying his meeting with an Arab ministerial committee underscored Jordan's commitment to defending the city and the Palestinian cause.

In separate statements to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), members of parliament said the meeting sent a political message that Jerusalem remains a top priority for Jordan and that the international community should respect the city's historical and legal status.

They said the meeting aimed to bolster the resilience of the Palestinian people, particularly residents of Jerusalem, and reaffirm Jordan's longstanding role in defending the Palestinian cause and protecting Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites.

The lawmakers said the king's emphasis on the need for a unified Arab and Islamic position in response to Israel's illegal measures in Jerusalem reflects Jordan's consistent policy in light of what they called growing threats facing the holy city.

They added that His Majesty King Abdullah continues to lead Arab and international political and diplomatic efforts to protect Jerusalem and its holy sites while defending the historical and legal rights of the Palestinian people.

The lawmakers also said the Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites represents not only a historical responsibility but also the primary line of defense for Al-Aqsa Mosque against attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in the city.

They said the king's warning against efforts to impose a new reality in Jerusalem highlights the need for urgent international action to halt such measures and uphold international law.

His Majesty the King told members of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with mobilising international action in response to illegal Israeli policies and actions in the occupied city of Jerusalem that Arab and Islamic countries should adopt a unified position and coordinate efforts to halt what he described as unprecedented Israeli actions in the city, particularly at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif.

The king also reaffirmed Jordan's commitment to its historical and legal role in safeguarding Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites under the Hashemite Custodianship.

During the meeting, attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, King Abdullah warned against exploiting regional instability to impose a new reality in Jerusalem and cautioned that continued Israeli escalation in the occupied West Bank and attempts to annex territory and expand settlements could widen the conflict.

First Deputy Speaker of the Lower House Khamis Atiyeh said the king's call for Arab and Islamic unity reflected Jordan's clear understanding of the challenges facing Jerusalem amid Israeli policies that, he said, violate international law and established norms.

Atiyeh accused the Israeli government of pursuing a systematic policy aimed at changing Jerusalem's Arab and Islamic identity through actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, settlement expansion, and the displacement of Palestinians, warning that such policies could further destabilize the region.

He said the king's continued diplomatic efforts demonstrate that Jordan will not remain idle in the face of these developments and will continue leading Arab and international initiatives to protect Jerusalem and defend the rights of the Palestinian people.

Atiyeh called on the international community to move beyond statements of condemnation and take effective measures requiring Israel, as the occupying power, to halt its actions and comply with international law and United Nations resolutions.

He said Jordan, under His Majesty King Abdullah's leadership, would remain a steadfast supporter of Jerusalem and Palestine, adding that attempts to alter Jerusalem's identity or impose new realities would fail in the face of Palestinian resilience, Jordan's position, and Arab and Islamic support for protecting the holy sites.

Lawmaker Mustafa Al-Amawi said one of the key messages from the king's meeting was the reaffirmation of the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites, describing Jordan's role in the city as political, historical, and religious.

He said the meeting also stressed the importance of coordinating Arab and Islamic positions, particularly in light of current developments affecting Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, while reinforcing international diplomatic efforts to halt Israeli actions against the city and its holy sites.

Al-Amawi said support for the Palestinian cause and the protection of Jerusalem have consistently featured in King Abdullah's meetings with international leaders and during his overseas visits.

He added that the meeting also sought to support the resilience of Palestinians living in Jerusalem, saying their continued presence is important to the viability of a two-state solution and sends a message to the international community regarding restrictions imposed on Palestinians, including limitations on access to places of worship.

According to Al-Amawi, the meeting reaffirmed Jordan's central role under the king's leadership in defending Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause while supporting a comprehensive and just settlement based on the two-state solution.

He said the gathering conveyed a political message that Jerusalem remains a Jordanian priority and that the international community should respect the city's historical and legal status.

Lawmaker Mustafa Al-Khasawneh said the king's remarks reflected Jordan's longstanding principles regarding the Palestinian issue and Jerusalem, particularly the historical and legal foundations of the Hashemite custodianship.

He said the custodianship is more than a symbolic title, describing it as a political and legal framework rooted in historical and religious legitimacy dating back to the 1924 pledge of allegiance by Palestinians to Sharif Hussein bin Ali and reinforced by the 2013 agreement between His Majesty King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, which he said provides an institutional framework for protecting Jerusalem and its Islamic endowments.

Al-Khasawneh said the king's repeated warnings against attempts to exploit regional unrest to alter the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque come at a particularly sensitive time and reflect growing concerns over Israeli policies in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

He added that Jordan continues to serve as a leading advocate for Palestinian rights and called for broad Arab and Islamic support for the Hashemite Custodianship as a basis for coordinated international diplomatic efforts.

Lawmaker Aoun Al-Zoubi said the king's call for a unified Arab and Islamic position to halt Israeli measures in Jerusalem reflects Jordan's consistent commitment to defending Muslim and Christian holy sites and its historical and legal responsibilities under the Hashemite Custodianship.

He said the king's warning against attempts to impose a new reality in Jerusalem requires urgent international action to halt such measures and uphold international law.

Al-Zoubi said Jordan would remain at the forefront of efforts to defend Jerusalem, its holy sites, and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

//Petra// AF

05/08/2026 21:17:15