Jordan slams Israel's closure of al-Aqsa Mosque

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry has taken diplomatic measures to protest Israel's closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque in al-Quds.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the foreign ministry called "all Israeli measures" in the holy city "illegal" and said they violated "Israel's commitments as an occupation power."

Under a peace treaty which Jordan concluded with Israel in 1994, Israel acknowledged the Hashemite Kingdom's right to look after the Muslim and Christian shrines in east al-Quds, which is still considered by the United Nations an occupied territory.

Jordan's Foreign Ministry also summoned ambassadors of Israel, Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain in protest to Israel's closure of the al-Aqsa mosque.

Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh handed a strongly-worded protest to Israel's ambassador in Amman to condemn "recurrent violations" in east al-Quds, which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war, the official Petra news agency reported.

Jordan called for an "immediate halt" to Israeli violations and for the release of detainees, including the staff members of the Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds.

Israeli police have put extra security measures in place for east al-Quds which will continue on Monday, when thousands of Jews are expected to congregate at the Western Wall before a religious holiday.