Cairo, July 19 (Petra) -- International and regional officials lauded Jordan’s role in supporting the Palestinian cause on Sunday, emphasizing the vital importance of the Hashemite custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

In statements to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) on the sidelines of the 2026 Conference on the Question of Jerusalem in Cairo, officials who represent international and regional organizations commended the political and diplomatic efforts led by His Majesty King Abdullah II to defend the rights of the Palestinian people across international forums. The conference was jointly organized by the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with broad participation from diplomats, experts, and regional organizations.

The Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Ambassador Riyad Mansour, praised Jordan’s steadfast positions and its pivotal role in protecting the holy sites from ongoing attempts to alter the city's historical, legal, demographic, and cultural status.

Mansour noted that the Hashemite custodianship, reaffirmed under the 2013 agreement signed between His Majesty King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, serves as a cornerstone for protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites. He added that Jordan’s practical support extends to the management, maintenance, and restoration of these sites through the Jerusalem Awqaf Department, which strengthens the resilience of Jerusalemites and safeguards the right to worship.

OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Jerusalem Affairs, Dawas Dawas, also lauded Jordan's diplomatic mobilization, stating that Amman's position aligns closely with OIC resolutions that affirm the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Dawas added that the conference, held in Egypt, sent a clear message to the international community that Jerusalem remains a central issue for the Arab and Islamic worlds and that all Israeli measures aimed at altering the legal and historical status of the occupied city are null and void under international law.

Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Ashraf Al-Awar affirmed that the Hashemite custodianship remains an active and continuous model for safeguarding the holy sites, commanding widespread appreciation among the people of Jerusalem. He emphasized that under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, Jordan continues to provide essential institutional support to the city's sanctuaries while spearheading diplomatic efforts to solidify the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

//Petra// AF