RAMALLAH, Wednesday, April 27, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas departed today for the Jordanian capital, Amman, where he is set to meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

The two leaders will discuss recent developments in the Palestinian arena, with emphasis on ongoing efforts to protect Islamic and Christian holy sites in the occupied city of East Jerusalem, and to enhance bilateral cooperation on issues of mutual interest.

The meeting will be attended by senior officials from both sides and will be followed by an Iftar dinner.

This visit comes during the final week of the holy month of Ramadan, amid mounting tensions and violent Israeli police crackdowns on Palestinian worshippers at Bab al-Amoud (Damascus Gate) and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

The events of Ramadan 2022 echoed last year’s tensions in May 2021 and Ramadan, which were sparked by attempts by Israeli settler groups to seize Palestinian homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and increased incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

During Ramadan 2021, Jerusalem witnessed widespread protests and nightly clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers, particularly after Israeli authorities banned gatherings on the steps of Bab al-Amoud under the pretext of COVID-19 restrictions and cut the power to the mosque’s loudspeakers during the call to prayer. Tensions escalated further following forced eviction orders against Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah.