Jordan’s King Abdullah won’t speak with Benjamin Netanyahu, Arab media report
Relations between Jordan and Israel have soured to the point where King Abdullah is refusing to communicate directly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Channel 2 reported on Thursday, citing Arab and Jordanian media sources.
The Kuwaiti daily A-Jarida is reporting on Thursday that King Abdullah refused Netanyahu’s request to hold a secret meeting in the Red Sea resort town of Aqaba, just over the border near Eilat.
According to the reports, the Hashemite monarchy is furious with the Israeli government over recent statements accusing Amman of playing a destabilizing role and turning a blind eye to Palestinian provocations on Temple Mount.
The reports indicate that not only has the Jordanian government refused to accept any back-channel messages from the Prime Minister’s Office, but it is also considering a recall of its ambassador to Tel Aviv as a means to express its displeasure with Jerusalem’s policies as they relate to the Islamic holy sites.
The Jordanian government “has changed its diplomatic tactics” in response to Israel’s latest measures relating to Temple Mount, local press reports say.