Jordan condemns Israeli detention of Jerusalem guards

AMMAN — State Minister for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat issued a statement on Saturday condemning the unwarranted detention of Jerusalem Awqaf Department employees by Israeli occupation authorities.

According to Ghunaimat, the guards were running maintenance operations at Al Haram Al Sharif/Al Aqsa Mosque when Israeli forces arrested them.

These “provocative” actions are seen as “outrageous interferences” in the work of the Jordan-supervised Jerusalem Awqaf (endowments) Department, and “will only lead to more tension’’. 

The department’s staff is appointed and paid by Jordan under the Hashemite custodianship of holy sites in the Old City. 

Ghunaimat demanded the Israeli occupation authorities to stop meddling in the affairs of the Jordan’s custodianship over the endowments in East Jerusalem.

They “must refrain from further such violations against Jordan’s role in the occupied city, under international law”.

Moreover, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates is working to secure the release of the detainees and has filed an official complaint against Israeli breaches, she noted.