Jordanian Foreign Minister: Israel is turning the conflict in the Middle East into a religious conflict

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi/DOK U.S. Department of State

JAKARTA - Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called the Zionist regime of Israel as the party that encouraged the conflict in the Middle East to become a religious conflict.

"Israel's violation of the sanctity of Al Aqsa Mosque and its attempts to undermine its identity could lead to a religious conflict that triggers a global call for jihad to defend one of the three holiest sites for two billion Muslims," Safadi said, quoted by Sputnik, Thursday, August 6.

He conveyed this during a ministerial-level meeting related to Jerusalem and holy sites in it which was attended by Arab and Muslim leaders in Amman.

He warned that once triggered, religious conflicts would be impossible to suppress.

Safadi also urged the international community to intervene to stop Israel's actions in Jerusalem and the holy sites within it.

The Jordanian Foreign Minister reminded the Palestinians that Jerusalem is the rightful owner, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is the guardian of the holy sites for Muslims and Christians in the city, which is the joint responsibility of the Arab, Muslim, and international community.

"But Israel has instead strengthened its grip on its illegal occupation of East Jerusalem by expanding settlements, annexing territory, confiscating property, and separating the city from the Palestinian territory it occupies," he said.

Safadi also accused the Zionist regime of illegally restricting the freedom of worship of Muslims and Christians and trying to seize the land and financial assets of Christian churches there.

In conclusion, the Jordanian Foreign Minister emphasized that the Arab-Israeli conflict is not a religious conflict, because its basis is the occupation of Palestinian territory and the denial of the Palestinian people's right to their freedom and sovereignty.