‘Mecca is ours, this belongs to the Jews’ – Jordanian activist preaches peace during Israel visit

Jordanian peace activist Abedalelah Almaala visits Jerusalem, meeting with Israeli lawmakers and praying at the Western Wall while calling for full normalization between Jordan and Israel.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

A Bedouin tribesman and Jordanian peace activist met with Israeli lawmakers in the Knesset this week during a visit to the Jewish state.

Abedalelah Almaala, a member of the Bani Hassan Bedouin clan in Jordan and leader of the Jordan Coalition for Change, visited Israel this week, including stops in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where he toured the Old City of Jerusalem and spoke with Knesset members.

During his visit to the Old City of Jerusalem, Almaala prayed at the Western Wall for peace, and on behalf of the “oppressed in the Arab world.”

“Praise be to God, my journey was historical, political, and religious, and I sent it to all those concerned,” Almaala said in a video statement recorded at the Western Wall Plaza. “God increased my resolve and granted me success, and I felt this psychologically and spiritually.”

Highlighting his opposition to the Jordanian royal family and reiterating his calls for peace between Arabs and Jews in Israel, Almaala mocked his Arab critics.

“We will not listen to the barking dogs; they bark but do not bite. For the sake of future generations, I will work with all my strength. For more than a hundred years, all we hear is of killing, hunger, and poverty. All the demands of the oppressed in the Arab world in general, and the oppressed in Jordan in particular, have been written and sent to this blessed Western Wall.”

Noting the Jewish historical and religious ties to the Temple Mount, Almaala criticized Muslim opposition to Jewish visitation of the holy site.

“When the Jewish people visit Al-Aqsa, this should not be called an ‘invasion’.”

“We need to remove the barriers between us and the Jewish people.”

Pointing toward the Western Wall, Almaala said, “Mecca belongs to us Muslims. This belongs to the Jews.”

“Jewish people lived with us for a long time.”

Almaala went on to call Israel “their place,” the “place of Jewish people.”

“The Quran respect Jewish people.”

Regarding the Israeli-Arab conflict, Almaala said “enough is enough.”

“We need to make real peace.”

At the Knesset on Tuesday, Almaala joined with a delegation of Syrian Kurds hosted by MK Akram Hasson, a Druze lawmaker from the ruling coalition.

Almaala met with Hasson and with Likud MK Tsega Melaku.

“Together hand in hand for the new Middle East,” Almaala wrote after his visit.

Almaala’s trip to Israel received criticism from the Jordanian press, with the tabloid site Saraya News writing that the visit “provoked the anger of Jordanians.”

In the past, Almaala has expressed support for Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, reposting a map showing all the land west of the Jordan as the State of Israel, with Jordan serving as the Palestinian state.

“This is the only solution but I call it New Jordan and kingdom of Israel,” Almaala wrote on X. “New Jordan keeps the right of Palestinian and east Jordanian as united family.”