Jordan protests Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque complex

AMMAN, Jordan

Jordan on Tuesday lodged an official protest with Israel over violations in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Haitham Abu Al-Foul called on Israel to respect the authority of the Jordan-run Islamic Waqf Department, which oversees the holy sites in Jerusalem.

"The ministry sent an official protest note to demand Israel halt its violations and provocations and respect the historic and legal status quo and the sanctity of the mosque," Abu Al-Foul said.

He condemned the incursions of Israeli settlers in large numbers into the mosque complex under police protection to celebrate their Jewish holidays.

The Jordanian spokesman reiterated that the entire area of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims.

Since the start of September, Israeli settlers marked a number of Jewish holidays, including the Rosh Hashanah -- the Jewish New Year, Yom Kippur and the Sukkot.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem -- in which the Al-Aqsa is located -- during the 1967 Middle East War. It formally annexed the entire city in 1980, claiming it as its capital -- a move never recognized by the international community.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar