Khaberni - Minister of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, Mohammad Al-Khalaileh, states that "an unprecedented reality in the history of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque" is represented by its continued closure for about 40 days, describing it as "a very serious and unprecedented issue in the history of Al-Aqsa Mosque regardless of the pretexts".
Al-Khalaileh added, on Tuesday, that the mosque’s closure was "on the pretext of what is happening today in the world and the conflict with Iran", confirming that it is not an excuse to close the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem and even the Christian holy sites, according to the Kingdom.
He pointed out that Jordan, with all our diplomatic and religious efforts and under the leadership of His Majesty the King, "condemned, denounced, and deplored" this closure, affirming that "this closure cannot continue".
Al-Khalaileh clarified that the opening of the mosque for a raid by the Israeli minister yesterday is a very dangerous precedent that the mosque remains closed and is opened to Jewish extremists, affirming that Al-Aqsa Mosque, spanning 144 dunams, is purely Islamic land and is an absolute right of Muslims that does not accept temporal nor spatial division.
He emphasized that Al-Aqsa Mosque is under the Hashemite custodianship of His Majesty King Abdullah II, and that the Jordanian Awqaf has the right, affirming that international laws do not accept that places of worship be treated in such an ugly manner that the mosque is closed.
Al-Khalaileh considered the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque a crime against the mosque and against Muslims around the world, adding that what occurred from "a raid by Jewish extremists on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque" is condemnable.
He said that "even in wars and conflicts... places of worship are fully protected and must have immunity", confirming that "violating the freedom of worshippers to access places of worship... is a crime that no sane person accepts".
Al-Khalaileh added that "the occupation tries to impose a new reality in the issue of Jerusalem", calling on Muslims to "join efforts... and to be one hand... in protecting Al-Aqsa Mosque, defending it, and reopening it for worshippers".
Regarding the Awqaf employees, Al-Khalaileh said that "the acts of restriction, expulsions, and arrests that the Islamic Awqaf employees are subjected to, are also condemned and unacceptable", confirming that they "perform their duty by mandate from the Ministry of Awqaf".
Al-Khalaileh affirmed that "the issue of spatial and temporal division is completely rejected"; he emphasized that "Al-Aqsa Mosque is a red line and does not accept temporal nor spatial division", and that this matter "is not accepted by us in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan nor by any Muslim around the world".
