A report published by British outlet Middle East Eye has revealed what it describes as active American and Israeli efforts to strip Jordan of its historic custodianship over Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
According to the report, the United States and the Israeli occupation are working to establish a new administrative arrangement for Al Aqsa Mosque that would place the site under structures aligned with Israeli interests.
Washington and Tel Aviv Push for New Control Structure
Multiple American, Jordanian, Palestinian, Western and Gulf sources told the publication that the plan is being driven by Jared Kushner, son in law of President Donald Trump, alongside US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
The proposal reportedly seeks to abruptly end the authority of the Jordan backed Islamic Waqf administration and replace it with a newly formed body appointed by the Israeli government. Under the plan, Al Aqsa Mosque would be redefined as a “multi faith centre”.
Officials familiar with the proposal said the new arrangements would grant Jews what was described as “equal rights” to access the Islamic holy site and would formally permit large scale Jewish collective prayers within the compound.
The proposal would also reportedly give Israel significant influence over the appointment of imams, preachers and senior mosque officials, in addition to allowing intervention in the review and approval of Friday sermon content.
Two American officials told the publication that Washington had already drafted a working paper outlining its vision for the future of the mosque. According to the report, the Trump administration seeks to remove the mosque’s exclusive Islamic identity and transform the site into a major tourist destination representing the three Abrahamic faiths.
Arab States Briefed on Proposal
A Western official and a source familiar with Jordanian government discussions stated that one proposal under consideration would introduce a rotating supervisory role for several Arab states over the Al Aqsa compound.
According to the sources, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates had all been briefed on the American proposal.
However, two Gulf sources and another source close to decision making circles in Amman confirmed that Saudi Arabia had opposed the plan. The sources stated that Riyadh viewed any move against the Hashemite custodianship as a trigger for widespread regional instability.
One Gulf source said Saudi officials understood that dismantling the current arrangements surrounding Al Aqsa Mosque could “ignite the entire region”.
Another source described the custodianship as “a pillar of regional stability”, adding that despite political disagreements between Jordan and Saudi Arabia on other issues, Riyadh understood the consequences of undermining the current structure governing Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Mosque.
Huckabee’s Role and Israeli Pressure
The report stated that Israel originally presented the idea to the Trump administration nearly a decade ago. Following Mike Huckabee’s appointment as ambassador last year, he reportedly urged Washington repeatedly to move forward with the initiative.
Huckabee, a hardline evangelical Christian and former television host, is widely known for his strong support for Israel and illegal Israeli settlements across occupied Palestinian territory.
A source familiar with the Jordanian position told the publication that American officials had become frustrated by Jordan’s continued insistence on maintaining custodianship over Al Aqsa Mosque and its repeated complaints regarding Israeli violations at the site.
Earlier this month, the Jordanian parliament condemned Israeli attempts to seize Palestinian properties and Islamic endowments in areas adjacent to Al Aqsa Mosque.
Christian Holy Sites Left Unaddressed
Sources interviewed for the report said the proposal leaves the future of Christian holy sites in Jerusalem unclear.
The Hashemite monarchy also holds custodianship responsibilities over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Chapel of the Ascension. Jordan additionally holds effective veto power regarding the appointment of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Jerusalem.
One source warned that the proposal made “no mention whatsoever” of Christian holy sites, raising a completely new set of concerns.
A Jordanian government official reiterated that Amman’s position regarding Jerusalem and its holy sites remained “firm and unwavering”, stressing that the Hashemite custodianship is internationally recognised through treaties and agreements, including Article 9 of the 1994 Jordan Israel peace treaty.
The official added that Jordan continues coordinating with Palestinian, Arab and international partners to preserve the Arab, Islamic and Christian identity of the holy sites and prevent any alteration to the existing historical and legal status quo.
Al Aqsa and the Historical Status Quo
For decades, Al Aqsa Mosque has operated under internationally recognised status quo arrangements preserving its identity as an exclusively Islamic site.
Under understandings reached after the 1967 war, Jordan and Israel agreed that the Islamic Waqf would manage the mosque compound internally, while Israel retained control over external security.
Non Muslims are permitted to visit the site during designated hours but are not allowed to pray there.
The site is referred to by Jews as the Temple Mount, where many believe two ancient Jewish temples once stood.
Jordanian and Palestinian officials told the publication that the proposed arrangements appear loosely inspired by the Israeli model imposed on the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron following the 1994 massacre committed by an Israeli settler.
After the massacre, Israeli authorities formally divided the mosque between Muslims and Jews. Sixty three percent of the site was allocated for Jewish prayer and thirty seven percent for Muslims, despite the site’s sacred status for Muslims, Christians and Jews alike.
Custodianship and Hashemite Legitimacy
For Jordan, custodianship over Al Aqsa Mosque and the wider compound is considered a central pillar of Hashemite legitimacy.
The ruling family’s guardianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem dates back to 1924 during the British Mandate in Palestine.
Following the collapse of the Ottoman Caliphate after the First World War, Britain and France divided much of the Levant. The Hashemites were later granted custodianship in Jerusalem after losing control over the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah to the آل سعود family.
Jordan’s custodial role was later formally acknowledged in the 1994 peace treaty signed with Israel, which recognised Jordan’s “special role” regarding Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem.
However, Jordanian officials and Palestinian leaders have long warned that the arrangement is being systematically undermined by successive Israeli governments and far right groups seeking greater Jewish control over the compound.
Israeli police raids inside the mosque courtyards, the increasing visits by extremist Jewish nationalist activists, and repeated calls by Israeli ministers to permit Jewish prayer at the site have all intensified accusations that Israel is gradually changing the status quo.
Waqf officials also told the publication that Israel has obstructed necessary restoration and maintenance work while simultaneously imposing severe restrictions on Palestinian worshippers.
“Cornerstone of Stability”
Mustafa Abu Sway, deputy head of the Islamic Waqf Council, declined to comment directly on Jordan’s declining influence in the Old City but stressed that the Hashemite custodianship remains “the cornerstone of stability in the region”.
He said Palestinians view the custodianship from a strategic perspective and regard it as “a lifeline”, noting that Jordan has consistently defended the historical status quo in international forums including UNESCO.
“The Hashemite custodianship is the cornerstone of stability in the region, and undermining it means undermining the foundations of peace itself,” he said.
The Jerusalem Governorate stated it had not been formally informed of any such proposal and confirmed its “absolute rejection” of the idea.
The governorate also warned of a “dangerous escalation” in Israeli interference in Waqf affairs, including restrictions placed on guards and employees and the growing frequency of settler incursions into the compound.
Jordan Seeks Regional Support Against Proposal
Two Gulf sources told the publication that the Jordanian government is likely to rely on regional backing to confront the American Israeli proposal.
Despite growing ties between Amman and the United Arab Emirates, the sources said it was inconceivable that Saudi Arabia would remain silent or refuse to publicly oppose the proposal.
One Gulf source stated that Saudi Arabia fully understands the explosive sensitivity of the issue across both the Arab and Muslim worlds.
The report also noted that Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah has developed a strong relationship in recent years with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, particularly following the wave of Arab normalisation agreements with Israel.
However, the sources added that uncertainty remains regarding how Saudi Arabia would react if the UAE or Bahrain openly endorsed the proposal.
Since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, both Abu Dhabi and Manama have steadily deepened political, economic and security ties with Israel despite mounting regional anger over Israeli actions in Jerusalem and Gaza.
The UAE in particular has emerged as one of Israel’s closest Arab partners, expanding cooperation in trade, technology, energy and defence.
Religious and diplomatic initiatives linked to the UAE have also promoted concepts of “multi faith coexistence”, which Palestinian and Jordanian officials fear could be used to legitimise changes to the historical status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque.
In 2023, the UAE established a multi faith complex housing a Catholic church, a Jewish synagogue and a mosque.
Similarly, Bahrain has maintained close relations with Israel and defended engagement with Tel Aviv as necessary to counter Iran. Bahraini officials have generally avoided directly criticising Israeli policies in Jerusalem, further increasing concerns regarding their willingness to align with Israeli demands surrounding the holy sites.
One source said both the UAE and Bahrain fully understand the sensitivity and gravity of the issue across the Arab and Muslim worlds and would need to exercise caution before publicly supporting any attempt to alter the status quo.
Middle East Eye said it contacted the foreign ministries of Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for comment but received no response before publication.
Following publication of the report, an American official issued a brief statement denying that the White House was actively working to remove Jordan’s custodianship, describing the report as “completely false”.
