Amman, March 16 (Petra) -- Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Khalaileh said that the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque constitutes a crime against Muslims across the world because of its religious status as Islam’s first qibla and the third holiest sanctuary.

Khalaileh said during a Ramadan iftar he sponsored, organized by the Department of Palestinian Affairs (DPA) on Monday, that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, stands at the forefront of those defending Al-Aqsa Mosque at all levels, noting that the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples are bound by ties of religion, brotherhood, history and a shared destiny.

He added that Jordan’s compass will always remain directed toward Palestine and Jerusalem until the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights, pointing out that the Hashemite custodianship over the holy sites in Jerusalem constitutes a historic responsibility that the Ministry of Awqaf works to carry out through caring for Al-Aqsa Mosque, preserving and maintaining it, and defending it in various international forums.

For his part, DPA Director-General Rafiq Khirfan said the camps have witnessed a tangible improvement in the level of services and infrastructure thanks to royal initiatives and government follow-up, which included the development of facilities, health and educational services, and the rehabilitation of housing, in line with the kingdom’s comprehensive modernization process.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Palestine Committee in the Lower House, Suleiman Al-Saud, said the unity of the Jordanian people represents a source of strength for the nation and a sign of its cohesion in confronting challenges. He stressed the importance of strengthening the internal front and standing united behind the Hashemite leadership to protect Jordan’s security and stability amid the crises and conflicts witnessed in the region.

Member of the Palestine Committee in the Senate, Zuhair Abu Fares, said achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region will not be possible without justice for the Palestinian people and enabling them to establish their independent state on their national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.

Speaking on behalf of the camp services committees and advisory bodies, chairman of the services committee of Madaba Camp, Bilal Abu Tinah, said Jordan pays special attention to Palestinian refugees residing in camps inside the kingdom. He said the camps form an integral part of Jordan’s social fabric and that their residents receive care and attention within the framework of the royal vision that places human dignity and the right to a decent life at the forefront of priorities.

The iftar was attended by a number of officials, along with heads of camp services committees and advisory bodies, club presidents, a number of community leaders, and tribal elders and mukhtars of the camps.

The DPA, which was established in 1988 and operates under the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, is responsible for overseeing the affairs of Palestinian refugees and displaced persons in the kingdom, working to improve living conditions in the camps and strengthening cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in addition to highlighting Jordan’s role in supporting the Palestinian cause.

//Petra// AF