Jordan's king says working to prevent Israeli 'provocations' in West Bank

By Laith Junaidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) – Jordan’s King Abdullah II said Thursday his country is working with all stakeholders to prevent Israeli "provocations" in the occupied West Bank.

In a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the monarch underlined the need to maintain coordination to avert any possible escalation in occupied East Jerusalem, the royal court said in a statement.

Israel has restricted access of Palestinian worshippers into the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem amid growing tensions across the occupied West Bank due to Tel Aviv’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack, which has left more than 31,300 people dead since last October.

The restrictions came as Palestinians prepare to mark the first mass Friday prayers during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.

The Jordanian king underlined the need to impose a cease-fire in Gaza as soon as possible to mitigate the suffering of Gazans and ensure the delivery of urgent aid.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while most of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar