Blinken stresses importance of status quo at Jerusalem holy sites
Blinken also expresses appreciation for Jordan's role as the custodian of the holy sites
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed recent violence in Israel and the West Bank with his Jordanian counterpart, according to a statement by the State Department on Tuesday.
"Secretary Blinken emphasized the importance of upholding the historic status quo at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount and appreciation for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s special role as custodian of Muslim holy places in Jerusalem," spokesman Ned Price said in a statement, according to Reuters.
Blinken and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also discussed on Monday the importance of Israelis and Palestinians working to end the violence and refrain from escalatory actions, he said.
On Monday, Jordan's King Abdullah said that Israel's "unilateral" moves against Muslim worshippers at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque seriously undermined the prospects for peace in the region, state media said.
Abdullah blamed Israel for "provocative acts" in the mosque compounds that violated "the legal and historic status quo" of the Muslim holy shrines, according to Reuters.
Over 150 were left wounded in clashes on Friday, and Israeli security forces detained over 400.
Jordan's Foreign Ministry also summoned Israel's ambassador to Amman on Monday in response to the clashes in Jerusalem's Old City.