Jordan still hasn’t returned its ambassador to Israel

Jordan recalled Walid Obeidat for consultations earlier this month to protest Israeli actions on the Temple Mount.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Jordan's recalled ambassador to Israel, Walid Obeidat (photo credit: screenshot)
Jordan's recalled ambassador to Israel, Walid Obeidat
(photo credit: screenshot)
Jordan has not yet returned its ambassador Walid Obeidat to Israel, in spite of the positive trilateral meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, King Abdullah and US Secretary of State John Kerry in Amman on Thursday.
Jordan recalled Obeidat for consultations earlier this month to protest Israeli actions on the Temple Mount, including its reactions to violent protests and its one-day closure of the site. Israel took that step in reaction to the assassination attempt on right activist activist Yehuda Glick by an Israeli Arab gunman.
After the trilateral meeting Kerry announced that Netanyahu and Abdullah had promised to put in place a mechanism to calm the spiraling violent situation in Jerusalem which has already spread to the West Bank.
Netanyahu also assured Abdullah that it has no intention of changing the status quo at the site, in which the al-Aksa Mosque compound is under the control of the Islamic Wakf. Muslims can pray there. Jews and Christians can visit but they can not worship there.
After the trilateral meeting Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said that Netanyahu’s words were positive, but that his country was waiting to what actions would be taken.
In Jerusalem, he said, “there’s escalation after escalation, particularly in the last two years, and most particularly in the last few weeks.”
Judeh added, “When Jordan took a decision to recall its ambassador for consultation, it was a sign that enough is enough.
“There’s a clear message that went to Israel that something needs to be done,” he said.
“We’ve had since some positive developments in terms of the rhetoric, and I think, like I said, hopefully a mechanism that will result in restoring calm and in alleviating the tension that we see,” Judeh said.
King Abdullah considers himself to be the custodian of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Israel recognizes the special relationship he has with the city.