Top Israeli diplomat, US delegation discuss de-escalation in Jerusalem

By Yousef Ibrahim

JERUSALEM (AA) – A US delegation met with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday to discuss steps to de-escalate tensions in Jerusalem and at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

A US State Department delegation is currently visiting Israel as part of a regional tour that also covers Palestine, Egypt and Jordan.

Yael Lempert, acting assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs and Hady Amr, deputy assistant secretary of state for Israeli and Palestinian affairs, are among the delegation's members.

Lapid told the delegation about "Israel's efforts to maintain the status quo on the Temple Mount during this challenging period."

He also expressed his "appreciation to the US for its efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region."

On Wednesday, the US delegation arrived in Jordan and held talks with Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on measures to de-escalate the tense situation in Jerusalem, according to a statement by the kingdom's Foreign Ministry.

During the meeting, Safadi urged "Israel to respect the historical and legal condition at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, stop all measures to undermine it, and guarantee freedom."

Earlier on Thursday, the Arab Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem urged the international community to take urgent measures to end Israeli aggression against Muslims at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

A meeting in Amman was convened at Jordan's request, the committee's chair, to review the "dangerous" situation in Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as strategies to stop Israel's aggression and restore a comprehensive peace.

Tensions have been high in the Palestinian territories since Israeli forces entered Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard and attacked worshippers last week.

The situation has been exacerbated by settlers' daily incursions into the flashpoint site to commemorate the week-long Jewish Passover holiday.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980, in a move never recognized by the international community.