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‘Every Muslim’ should act against ‘Israeli escalations’ at Jerusalem holy sites, says Jordanian monarch

In a meeting with Palestinian officials, Abdullah II likely encouraged Palestinian violence by praising “Jerusalemites” who “safeguard” the sites.

By  Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

While pledging a commitment to peace and coexistence in Jerusalem, King Abdullah II of Jordan told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday that “every Muslim” should deter “Israeli escalations” in Jerusalem.

“It is the duty of every Muslim to deter Israeli escalations against the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem,” the king said, according to a government readout of the meeting.

The king was addressing a group of officials from the Palestinian Authority that included leading Arab Christian clergymen on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday, which precedes Easter by a week.

Abdullah also voiced “support for the steadfastness of the Jerusalemites’… efforts to safeguard” such sites, primarily referring to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount.

The monarch’s statement apparently has the potential of leading to even more violence, as mobs of Palestinians already riot there on a regular basis – often in response to false reports by Palestinian media of “Jewish settlers storming” the compound and heeding official calls to “protect Al Aqsa.”

“We will spare no effort to continue our struggle at all levels, in order to end the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated at the meeting.

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Abbas has repeatedly slammed Jewish visits to the site.

In March of last year, also ahead of Ramadan, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, the Mufti of Jerusalem, warned of “dire consequences” should Jewish visitors continue to “be present at the Muslim holy site,” referring to the Temple Mount – Judaism’s holiest site and Islam’s third-holiest, after Mecca and Medina.

Israeli police work to maintain order on the Mount, clashing with Palestinians only when they become violent and endanger other visitors, including those praying at the Western Wall, which is right below the Mount.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly promised that the status quo would be maintained on the Temple Mount.