AMMAN, Jordan / ISTANBUL

Jordan’s government said Monday that Israel’s closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied East Jerusalem constitutes a “crime against religious freedom.”

Government spokesperson Mohammad al-Momani told Anadolu that preventing worshippers from accessing the sites is a “flagrant violation of international law and the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem.”

“Barring access to the two holy sites amounts to a systematic targeting of Jerusalem’s religious identity,” he said, warning that continued measures could push the region toward further escalation and fuel hate speech.

Momani added that Israel, as an occupying power, “has no legal sovereignty over Jerusalem or its holy sites,” stressing that the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf under Jordan’s authority is the only body legally responsible for administering Al-Aqsa Mosque, which spans about 144 dunams.

“Israel must understand that its attempts to politicize the city’s holy sites or restrict worship freedom would face firm Jordanian opposition rooted in the kingdom’s custodianship and historical role,” he said.

“Attempts to undermine freedom of worship and stifle the voices of minarets and bells will be met with the firmness of the Jordanian political position, which is based on the legitimacy of the Hashemite custodianship and the established historical right of the Jerusalemites,” he added.

The Jerusalem Waqf Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, is the official custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Waqf properties in East Jerusalem, in accordance with international law, which recognizes Jordan as the last local authority responsible for these holy sites before their occupation by Israel.

Jordan retained its right to oversee religious affairs in Jerusalem under the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty, which it signed with Israel in 1994.

A 2013 agreement between Jordanian King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed Jordan’s custodianship over Jerusalem’s holy sites.

Earlier Monday, Israeli police said they would allow “limited prayer” at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre while keeping Al-Aqsa Mosque closed, without specifying the number of worshippers permitted.

The measures drew international criticism, including from Italy, France, Spain and the European Union, after Israeli authorities barred senior Christian clergy from entering the church to mark Palm Sunday.

Christian denominations are preparing to celebrate Easter on April 5 in the Western calendar and April 12 in the Eastern calendar.

Israel has kept both sites closed since Feb. 28, citing security concerns amid regional tensions linked to the ongoing Israel-US war on Iran and Tehran’s response.

Israel’s Home Front Command said Monday it would extend restrictions on gatherings until April 4.
Arab and Muslim countries have condemned the closures and called on Israel to reopen Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Palestinians say Israel is intensifying efforts to alter the character of occupied East Jerusalem and assert control over its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

They view East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state, a position supported by international resolutions that do not recognize Israel’s annexation of the city.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul