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| Jordanian Administration of Holy Sites | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jordanian Administration of Holy Sites |
| Established | 1924 |
| Jurisdiction | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan |
| Headquarters | Amman |
| Leader title | Director |
| Parent organization | Hashemite custodianship |
Jordanian Administration of Holy Sites is the Hashemite custodial mechanism responsible for oversight of multiple religious shrines and places of worship, especially in Jerusalem and the West Bank, deriving authority from accords, dynastic claims, and regional practice. It operates at the intersection of diplomatic arrangements involving the Hashemite dynasty, Jordan–Israel peace treaty, and international religious institutions such as the Al-Aqsa Mosque custodianship and various Islamic, Christian, and Jewish organizations. The administration engages with religious authorities, security organs, and international bodies to manage access, preservation, and ritual practice at contested sites.
The origins trace to the post-Ottoman realignments after the British Mandate for Palestine and the emergence of the Emirate of Transjordan under Abdullah I of Jordan, with formal custodial claims consolidated after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the 1967 Six-Day War. The Hashemite role was affirmed in bilateral and multilateral contexts including negotiations involving King Hussein of Jordan and later King Abdullah II of Jordan, and had interactions with parties such as Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization, representatives of the State of Israel, and actors in the United Nations framework. Key moments include the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty and subsequent memoranda with Israeli authorities and the Waqf administration based in East Jerusalem.
The administration's mandate rests on a mixture of dynastic prerogative tied to the Hashemite dynasty, treaty obligations under the Israel–Jordan peace treaty, understandings with the Palestinian Authority, and customary recognition by religious institutions like the Al-Aqsa Mosque Waqf and various Greek Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church hierarchies. Instruments shaping authority include bilateral memoranda, royal decrees issued by Jordanian law institutions, and protocols with security bodies such as the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian National Authority security services. Internationally, interactions involve the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and heritage registers associated with UNESCO.
Prominent sites under Hashemite custodial claims or influence include the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the Dome of the Rock, the Baptism Site (Bethany Beyond the Jordan), Mount Nebo, and Christian sites in Jericho and Bethlehem linked to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and Armenian Apostolic Church. The administration maintains ties with custodianship over mosques, churches, and archaeological locales tied to the Dead Sea Scrolls region, Herod's Temple environs, and pilgrimage routes associated with John the Baptist and Jesus traditions, as well as sites revered in Islam such as locations tied to the Companions of the Prophet.
Operational structures include ministries, royal courts, and commissions staffed by officials from the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, the Jordanian Armed Forces, diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah, and liaison officers seconded to the Palestinian Authority and Israeli municipal bodies like the Jerusalem Municipality. Key figures historically include members of the Hashemite family and clerical leaders from the Waqf and the Supreme Muslim Council. The administration coordinates with international religious leaders such as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the Pope via the Holy See, and heads of the World Council of Churches.
Relations span dialogues with Islamic authorities like the Waqf, Christian hierarchs from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and Jewish communal leaders including those in Jerusalem. The administration facilitates pilgrimages undertaken by delegations from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, and Turkey, and engages in ecumenical initiatives with organizations like the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims and the Aga Khan Development Network on heritage conservation. Religious diplomacy has involved negotiations with representatives of the Sunni scholarly networks, Shi’a institutions in Lebanon, and international NGOs focusing on interfaith coexistence.
Security arrangements involve coordination with the Israel Defense Forces, Jordanian Gendarmerie, and Palestinian civil police for crowd control during events like Ramadan, Easter, and Christmas, and during state visits by figures including Barack Obama, King Salman, and Pope Francis. Access protocols are influenced by checkpoints near Qalandia, the status of East Jerusalem, and municipal regulations in Jerusalem District. Preservation efforts rely on archaeological oversight by bodies such as the Israel Antiquities Authority and heritage specialists from UNESCO while balancing the rights asserted by the Palestinian National Authority and religious communities.
Contested issues include sovereignty disputes post-1967 Six-Day War over Jerusalem, clashes over access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound involving activists, arrests involving figures from the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israeli authorities, and disagreements with Christian denominations over property and taxation tied to historic endowments. International episodes have involved resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly and debates within UNESCO about heritage listings, as well as bilateral tensions manifested during negotiations between King Abdullah II and Israeli leaders. Legal challenges have invoked aspects of international law and local statutes administered by courts in Amman and Jerusalem District.