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Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-726536
Why Are the PA and Jordan So Worried about What Happens on the Temple Mount?
(Jerusalem Post) Khaled Abu Toameh - The Palestinian Authority and Jordan were quick to condemn National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's 15-minute visit to the Temple Mount on Tuesday. Both seek to be "defenders" of the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, as do Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Although the PA has no official status at the site, it has been acting behind the scenes over the past few years to establish a foothold there, in the aftermath of recurring attempts by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to present themselves as the main "defenders" of Aqsa Mosque. The most important thing for Jordan is to ensure that the Hashemite custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem not be undermined. This custodianship is crucial for the Jordanian monarch and the royal family because, they believe, it bolsters their political and religious standing among Arabs and Muslims.