Jordan says Israel鈥檚 Al-Aqsa mosque restrictions in Ramadan pushing toward 鈥榚xplosion鈥�

Palestinian Muslim devotees perform an evening prayer known as 'Tarawih' outside the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, on March 11, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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  • Jordanian FM says his country rejects Israel鈥檚 announced move to limit access to holy mosque during Ramadan
  • The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is also the site of the most sacred place for Jews, who know it as Temple Mount

AMMAN: Jordan鈥檚 Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Monday restrictions imposed by Israel on Muslim worshippers鈥� access to Jerusalem鈥檚 Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan was pushing the situation toward an 鈥渆xplosion.鈥�
In remarks on state media, Safadi said his country, which overviews the holy site, rejected Israel鈥檚 announced move to limit access during Ramadan, citing security needs with war raging in Gaza.
鈥淲e warn that desecrating the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque is playing with fire,鈥� Safadi said in a joint news conference with the Vatican鈥檚 foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
The compound, the third holiest shrine in Islam, is also the site of the most sacred place for Jews who know it as Temple Mount. It has been a longstanding flashpoint for trouble.
Jordan echoes the Palestinian view that such restrictions on Muslim worshippers, already facing war and hunger in Gaza, were an attack on freedom of worship.
After hard-right Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said recently he wanted tougher restrictions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the numbers admitted would be similar to last year.
鈥淣ot allowing worshippers to perform their religious duties and their rituals in this holy month and restricting freedom to enter the Aqsa mosque, all that pushes torwards an explosive situation which is what we are warning about,鈥� Safadi added.
Israel was also risking wider violence in the Israeli occupied West Bank by what Safadi said were unilateral Israeli measures to change the status quo citing accelerated Jewish settlement building on Arab land and what he termed as stepped up 鈥渢error attacks by armed settlers on Palestinian villagers.
鈥淭he West Bank is boiling,鈥� Safadi added.
The Israeli-occupied West Bank has since the Gaza war seen a surge of confrontations, with around 400 Palestinians killed in clashes with security forces or Jewish settlers.
Most world powers view as illegal settlements Israel has built on land it captured in a 1967 war with Arab powers.
The holy month of Ramadan came at a time when Palestinians in the enclave were dying of hunger with Israel using food as a weapon of war, Safadi said.
鈥淩amadan comes with Gaza bombed by Israel and women unable to find food for their children and five months that have passed with the world failing to preserve human digintiy,鈥� Safadi said.
Israel鈥檚 relentless campaign in Gaza has caused increasing alarm across the world as the growing risk of famine threatens to add to a death toll that has already passed 31,000.
Israel denies it is responsible for the wider hunger or waging war on civilians.