THE US and Israel are reportedly planning to upend the system governing Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque complex by handing more power to Tel Aviv.
American, Jordanian and Palestinian sources have told the Middle East Eye that a plan has been drawn up which would hand a substantial level of control over the management of the Muslim holy site to Israel.
The running of the Al-Aqsa Mosque would be managed by new Israeli body under the purported plans, bringing to an abrupt halt the current system where it is run by the Jordan-backed Jerusalem Waqf.
Sources told the Middle East Eye that the changes would mean Jews would get “equal access” to the site and that large-scale Jewish prayer would be allowed.
The mosque sits atop Temple Mount, which is believed by many to have been the site of the temple built by King Solomon, destroyed by the Babylonians, and the second temple, which was destroyed by the Romans.
Under the proposals, Israel would have a large say over the appointment of imams, preachers and senior mosque officials, and would also be involved in signing off on the content of Friday sermons.
Two US officials told the Middle East Eye that the Trump administration would like to see the Al-Aqsa Mosque stripped of its Muslim identity, with the site turned into a tourist attraction with significance for all three Abrahamic faiths.
One western official and a source briefed by the Jordanians said that Arab countries would be given “rotational” oversight of the mosque complex. Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are all said to have been briefed on the US proposal.
Two Gulf sources told the online news site that Saudi Arabia, an ally of America but which also has deep links with Jordan, was against the proposal.
It is said that the plans were first floated almost a decade ago but have come to the fore only now after the appointment of the staunchly pro-Israel US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
The plans have also raised concerns about the status of Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Ascension are both under the custodianship of the government in Amman.
Jordanian and Palestinian officials have warned that the decades-old status quo – where Al-Aqsa remains an exclusively Muslim site – is being eroded by Israeli police raids, visits from extremists and political calls for Jewish prayer access.
Mustafa Abu Sway, the deputy head of the Waqf council, said that Jordan’s custodianship was "a cornerstone for stability in the region".
He told the Middle East Eye that Palestinians viewed the custodianship "strategically as a lifeline" and noted that Jordan had consistently defended the historical status quo at international forums, including Unesco.
He said: “The Hashemite Custodianship is a cornerstone for stability in the region, undermining it is tantamount to undermining the very principles for peace."
The Jerusalem Governorate said it had not been informed of any such proposal, but said it "reject[s] it entirely".
The governorate said there had been a "dangerous escalation" in Israeli interference in the Waqf's work, including restrictions on guards and staff and increasing settler incursions into the complex.
Two Gulf Arab sources told the Middle East Eye that Jordan's US-backed government was likely going to rely on regional backing to counter the US-Israeli proposal.
Despite Amman's growing outreach to the UAE, they said it was inconceivable that Saudi Arabia would refuse to publicly oppose such a proposal.
One Gulf Arab source told the outlet: "Saudi Arabia fully understands that if any moves are taken against the Hashemite custodianship, then that would inflame the entire region.”
Another Gulf Arab source said Riyadh viewed the custodianship as "a pillar of regional stability", adding: "The Saudis may have disagreements with Jordan on some issues, but on Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa they understand the consequences of dismantling the existing arrangement."
According to the sources, Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah has developed a "good relationship" with his Saudi counterpart, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in recent years, with ties deepening since a group of Arab countries normalised ties with Israel.
But both of the sources said it was unclear how the kingdom would respond if the UAE or Bahrain publicly backed the proposal.
A US official denied the White House sought to strip Jordan of its custodianship of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and said the story was "totally false".
