Arab foreign ministers to meet Thursday over Jerusalem

AMMAN/CAIRO — Upon a request by Jordan, the Arab League will on Thursday hold an emergency meeting over Jerusalem at the level of foreign ministers.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Sunday continued his efforts to bring the Arab officials together to discuss a unified position to respond to Israeli violations against the Muslim holy shrines in the city, which triggered public anger in Palestine and the Arab and Islamic worlds.

Amman has been leading a diplomatic endeavour to stop the escalation in Jerusalem, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In its contacts, the agency said, “the Kingdom stresses that restoring calm requires that Israel remove electronic gates from the entrances of [Al Aqsa] Mosque and respect the historical and legal status quo of the city,” where holy sites are under the custodianship of the Hashemite rulers of Jordan. 

Safadi, according to Petra, talked over the phone with his Omani peer Youssef Bin Alawi, “who underlined his country’s support for the Jordanian efforts led by His Majesty King Abdullah to end the tension in a manner that safeguards the holy sites”.

Safadi also discussed the issue with European peers, including Germany’s Sigmar Gabriel, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Norwegian Borge Brende and Sweden’s top diplomat, Margot Wallstrom. 

In related development, the Arab league has warned Israel is “playing with fire” over the “red line” of Jerusalem, announcing that Arab foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting over Israeli-Palestinian violence, according to statements on Sunday.

Israel sent extra troops into the occupied West Bank on Saturday after violence erupted over Israel’s installation of metal detectors at entry points to Al Haram Al Sharif/Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s walled Old City, Reuters reported.

A Palestinian stabbed to death three Israelis on Friday, and hours earlier three Palestinians were killed. In Jerusalem on Saturday, Israeli forces used riot gear to disperse dozens of Palestinians who threw stones and bottles at them.

“Jerusalem is a red line that Muslims and Arabs cannot allow to be crossed... and what is happening today is an attempt to impose a new reality on the holy city,” Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a statement, quoted by Reuters.

“The Israeli government is playing with fire and risking a major crisis with the Arab and Islamic world.”

The United Nations Security Council plans to meet on Monday to discuss the bloodiest spate of Israeli-Palestinian violence for years. Sweden, Egypt and France requested the meeting to urgently discuss de-escalation in Jerusalem.

Israeli military commanders have warned violence may escalate.