As Israel ups aid to Jordan, locals storm Israeli embassy in Amman

The lower house of the Jordanian Parliament unanimously decided on Wednesday to expel Israel's Ambassador to Jordan, Daniel Nevo, and his embassy staff, from Amman, and demanded the recall of Jordan's ambassador to Israel.

A parliamentary debate was held titled "Israel's criminal attacks in occupied Jerusalem," while Jordan's prime minister said: "We see the settlers' criminal attacks, encouraged by the Israeli government, in a grave light."

According to reports from Jordan, the parliamentary decisions were the result of Israeli government measures on the Temple Mount. "This is a historic and unprecedented decision," the Speaker of the Jordanian Parliament told national media outlets. "The criminal attacks by the settlers against [the al-Aqsa mosque] and the places holy to Islam will not stop, and therefore Jordan is obligated to adopt the lower house's unanimous decision," he said.

For the decision to be ratified it must be approved by King Abdullah, but a senior Jordanian government official told Israel Hayom that the decision was largely symbolic and there was not even the slightest chance it would be ratified.

Additionally, the senior Jordanian official denied that the decision was connected with the Iranian foreign minister's surprise visit to Damascus and Amman this week.

Israeli foreign ministry officials said that "the matter doesn't seem to be serious." Nevo was summoned for a reprimand by the Jordanian foreign ministry in Amman.

Meanwhile, a few dozen protesters gathered near the Israeli Embassy Wednesday night, and according to multiple reports burned an Israeli flag and shouted slogans against what they described were attacks on the Al Aqsa mosque. A few demonstrators also tried to storm the embassy during the protest, which lasted about an hour. Jordanian security forces reportedly managed to turn them away.

Oded Eran, the former ambassador to Jordan, told Israel Radio Thursday morning that Israel had recently increased water transfers to the kingdom due to the swelling number of Syrian refugees seeking shelter there. Another Israeli source, however, said that Israel's recent increase of water transfers to the Jordanians and Palestinians was not related to the Syrian refugee problem in Jordan.

Eran also said that Israel allows Jordan to use the port of Haifa on the Mediterranean Sea to export its goods to Western countries.

In response to the calls to expel Nevo, Eran said that tensions would subside when Israel and the Palestinians renewed the peace process. According to Eran, the Israeli and Jordanian governments were on good terms but among the Jordanian population there are feelings of bitterness and hate toward Israel.

President Shimon Peres sent a message of assurance to the Jordanian leadership on Wednesday. Peres, speaking at Ammunition Hill in the capital during Jerusalem Day celebrations, said Israel was committed to all agreements between the two countries and will act to preserve them. "The peace with Jordan is precious to us," said Peres. "I want to say loud and clear that we will continue to respect all of the holy sites for all the religions and will do everything to safeguard them, as was agreed upon between us. The peace we have achieved between us was also the hope of the soldiers [who fought against Jordanian troops at Ammunition Hill during the Six-Day War]. The peace we have achieved is a peace for all worshippers -- Jews, Muslims and Christians alike."

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