The situation around Temple Mount, as the holy site is known by Jews, and Al Haram Al Sharif, as it is known by Muslims, reached a fever pitch July 27-28 after two weeks of buildup. A militant attack July 14 near the Temple Mount/Al Haram Al Sharif compound prompted Israeli authorities to briefly shut down the site, sparking continued protests and clashes. Israel reopened the compound a couple of days later but introduced new security measures such as metal detectors and additional security cameras, which drew backlash from both Palestinians and foreign governments. On July 27, Israel agreed to remove all new security measures, and worshippers returned to the site en masse.
Efforts by the governments of Israel and Jordan to manage the situation on Temple Mount have brought the complicated relationship between the two countries into relief. Jordan technically retains some jurisdiction over the Muslim holy sites in East Jerusalem in a cooperative capacity with Israel. Because of its significant Palestinian population, Jordan's government must strive to balance soothing local unrest over Israeli-Palestinian clashes in the neighboring West Bank and maintaining solid ties with Israel. Today alone, hundreds of Jordanian protesters demonstrated outside the Israeli Embassy in Amman. The protesters demanded an investigation into the shooting death of a Jordanian teenager who stabbed an Israeli Embassy guard earlier in the week, likely a spillover reaction from the enduring unease in Jerusalem.
Jordan's King Abdullah II called for the removal of the new security installations in Jerusalem. The country's foreign minister also called the warm reception of the Israeli embassy guard by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "disgrace." Meanwhile, Jordan's government is under fire by the powerful Howeitat tribe, which wants the government to ease the life sentence on the Jordanian member of the tribe who shot and killed three U.S. soldiers at an air base last year.
Ultimately, Israel and Jordan will muddle through the current episode while also prioritizing the demands of their constituencies. (Despite his praise for the Israeli Embassy guard, Netanyahu is also under fire by members of his own coalition for relenting and approving of the Israeli Security Cabinet's decision to remove the extra security measures around Temple Mount.) The security environment in Jerusalem has eased slightly but remains volatile, and unease between Israeli security forces and Muslim worshippers remains high.
