Amman, Aug. 10 (Petra) -- A seminar titled "Jerusalem Amid Current Developments" on Monday examined the status of the holy city, the political and on-the-ground challenges facing it, the impact of international and regional shifts on its future, and Jordan's role and Hashemite custodianship in protecting Muslim and Christian holy sites.
Participants said Jerusalem was not merely a passing political issue but represented a religious, historical, and national cause. They stressed the need to preserve its Arab, Muslim, and Christian identity and confront attempts to alter its historical and legal status amid mounting Israeli violations in the city and its holy sites, particularly following Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.
They stressed that Hashemite custodianship was a key pillar in protecting the holy sites and preserving their identity, underscoring the importance of continuing political, legal, and diplomatic efforts to counter measures aimed at changing Jerusalem's identity and historical status.
At the opening of the seminar, organized by the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts administration in cooperation with the Jordanian Writers and Literatures Union, union president poet Alyan Al-Adwan stressed the importance of the festival's cultural and intellectual events.
He praised the festival administration's role in supporting culture, intellectuals, and writers and welcomed its cooperation with the association and the participation of prominent researchers and thinkers in addressing the Jerusalem issue.
The seminar featured four main sessions. The first, titled "Jerusalem: The Compass and the Key to a Solution," was addressed by former minister Hazem Qashou. He said Jerusalem represented the compass for Jordan and the Hashemites and was a symbol of Arab identity because of its religious, historical, and political significance.
Qashou said Jordan's position on the holy city was rooted in a historical and religious mission, adding that the country's connection to Jerusalem was an integral part of its national identity.
Jordan, he said, represented an important key to the Jerusalem issue by virtue of its geography, history, and political standing, while its ties to the city had been strengthened through the Hashemites' longstanding role in caring for and defending its holy sites.
In the second session, titled "Jerusalem, the Hashemites and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan," former director of the Hashemite Royal Jordanian Documentation Center Mohammad Issa Al-Adwan reviewed aspects of the historical relationship between Jordan and Jerusalem, drawing on historical documents and correspondence concerning the city's place in the eyes of the Hashemite leadership and Jordanians.
Al-Adwan said Jerusalem was the place closest and dearest to Jordanians and the Hashemites, citing historical documents detailing King Abdullah I's interest in the city, which culminated in his assassination there.
The documents concerning Jerusalem reveal the depth of its importance to Arabs and Muslims, particularly the Hashemites, he said, describing the city as "Jordan's dagger" and noting that attempts to control it and alter its identity dated back decades.
He said documents compiled over years of research confirmed Jordan's historic role as a refuge and source of support for the Palestinian people, as well as its role in preserving Jerusalem and its holy sites.
In the third session, titled "Jerusalem and International and Regional Developments," researcher and writer Jamal Al-Rifai referred to the 1995 U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, which was implemented in 2017.
He highlighted developments in the city since the eastern part was occupied in 1967 and measures targeting its residents and landmarks, including the demolition of the Mughrabi Quarter.
Al-Rifai also addressed Israeli violations in the West Bank and Jerusalem, particularly following Israel's war on the Gaza Strip. He stressed the importance of adhering to international law and relevant international resolutions and resolving disputes through peaceful means rather than imposing facts on the ground by force.
In the fourth session, titled "Escalating Israeli Attacks on Places of Worship and Worshippers in Jerusalem and the Role of Hashemite Custodianship in Protecting Holy Sites," Abd Al-Ghani Hujeir addressed the scale of violations against holy sites in Jerusalem.
He pointed to an increase in Israeli incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying more than 25,000 settlers had entered the compound during the first half of the current year.
He also highlighted reported attacks on holy sites, Christian residents, and places of worship, as well as the performance of religious rituals, attempts to undermine the existing historical and legal status quo, restrictions on worshippers, urban policies aimed at changing Jerusalem's character, and excavations around Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Hujeir stressed Jordan's important role in protecting the holy sites through diplomatic and legal action against attempts to alter Jerusalem's existing historical and legal status quo.
He also highlighted the role of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in overseeing the holy sites and the continuation of the Hashemite restoration and development of Muslim and Christian holy sites.
Writer Sawsan Al-Muhtadi, who moderated the seminar, stressed the importance of addressing the Jerusalem issue through a multidimensional approach combining political and historical perspectives; international and regional developments; the situation on the ground at the holy sites; and the role of Hashemite custodianship in protecting them and preserving their Arab, Muslim, and Christian identity.
At the conclusion of the seminar, the union's president honored the participating speakers and presented them with certificates of appreciation for their contributions and intellectual and documentary work on the Jerusalem issue.
//Petra// AF
