British MP asks government to clarify stance on Jordanian custodianship of Al-Aqsa

British MP asks government to clarify stance on Jordanian custodianship of Al-Aqsa Imran Mulla on Wed, 06/03/2026 - 15:31 Leicester MP Shockat Adam asked for UK government position on reports that US and Israel plan to strip Jordan of oversight role Muslim devotees with their children gather at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on 27 May 2026, to mark the start of Eid al-Adha (AFP) Off Shockat Adam, the Independent MP for Leicester South, has written to the British foreign secretary urging the government to "unequivocally" oppose attempts by the US and Israel to remove Jordan's custodianship over Al-Aqsa Mosque. The comments come after Middle East Eye reported last week that the US and Israel are conspiring to strip the Jordanian royal family of its historic custodianship of Al-Aqsa, which is enshrined in a long-standing status quo agreement. A US official has denied the report, but under the plan described to MEE by American, Jordanian and Palestinian officials, Israel would gain control over the appointment of imams and senior mosque officials. The plan, reportedly being pushed by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Ambassador Mike Huckabee, would also give Israel a role in approving the content of Friday sermons. In a letter sent on 29 May to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Adam said: "Many constituents have contacted me expressing outrage and alarm at these reports. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "For Palestinians and Muslims around the world, Al-Aqsa Mosque is not only a place of worship, but a symbol of identity, dignity, and protection against ongoing dispossession." Adam asked Cooper a series of questions. He asked whether the government has raised the reports "directly with the Israeli and US governments". He asked whether the government continues to support Jordan's custodianship role over Al-Aqsa. Adam further asked what assessment the government has made of the "risks of further ethnic cleansing" and instability arising "from attempts to alter the status of the holy sites". He also asked whether the government would "publicly oppose any efforts to undermine Jordan's recognised custodianship role". (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); MEE has put Adam's letter to the British Foreign Office and asked for comment. I have written urgently to the Foreign Secretary regarding reports that Israel and the US are discussing removing Jordan’s custodianship over Al-Aqsa Mosque. pic.twitter.com/76aCQvTAmx May 29, 2026 Official UK policy is to accept Jordan's custodianship over Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Two US officials told MEE that Washington had drafted a paper on how they envisaged the mosque's future. The officials said that the Trump administration would like to see the Al-Aqsa Mosque stripped of its Muslim identity, with the site turned into a landmark tourist attraction that hosts all three Abrahamic religions. A western official, and a source briefed by the Jordanian government, told MEE that, according to a proposal they had seen, Arab countries could be granted "rotational" oversight of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. UK Politics News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0