Jordan urges UN to rein in Israel

Jordan has called on the UN to immediately take steps in a bid to halt ongoing Israeli aggression in the al-Aqsa Mosque Compound in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds.

During a meeting between Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and UN Special Envoy to the Middle East Robert Serry, the country urged the UN to halt Israel's "violations" of al-Aqsa Mosque's sanctity, DPA reported on Wednesday.

"Judeh underlined the importance of the UN role, particularly within the Middle East Quartet, and the need for all parties to shoulder their responsibilities by putting immediate pressure on Israel to stop its dangerous aggression and violations in East Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque," said an official statement.

Jordan has reportedly sent an official to al-Aqsa Mosque as a move to foil a plan by Israeli troops to storm the holy site for the third time over the past couple of weeks.

Judeh told the UN envoy that his government was in touch with Islamic and European states as well as the permanent members of the UN Security Council to end Israeli aggression in the site.

Israel deployed thousands of troops in the area after it closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound to Palestinians to allow a Jewish religious ceremony to be held in the compound. The closure of the site, however, caused clashes in the holy city.

Under a peace treaty signed in 1994, Israel recognized Jordan's right to look after all Islamic and Christian holy sites in East Jerusalem al-Quds, which is considered by the United Nations as to be an occupied territory.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem Al-Quds during the 1967 aggression and later annexed it.