Temporary relief
The fact that Jordan's King Abdullah has played a central role in the ongoing effort to defuse the tension in Jerusalem shows that there is a genuine effort to reach immediate results. Whatever solution takes place, it will have a temporary lifespan. Nevertheless, it would remedy the emergency we are now in.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Amman on Thursday, where he met with the monarch and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, was designed to calm things down. One has to assume Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his people have not been left out the loop. The meeting could be the first step toward a renewed peace process -- a dividend that could be reaped by all involved in this effort.
Having King Abdullah as the go-to person on the Temple Mount has several ramifications. Netanyahu and Abbas prefer to make concessions to Abdullah than to each other. By letting Abdullah take center stage, both parties have to produce a real compromise and take note of the other's concerns. Netanyahu and Abbas were both careful not to upset Abdullah. Perhaps the meeting can explain why Israel decided to relax security at the Temple Mount on Thursday. Israel lifted the restrictions that have been in place over the past several weeks and said it would allow Muslim worshippers of all ages to attend the Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque.
The conventional wisdom is that Abbas, despite the fiery rhetoric of the past several days, was worried he would not be able to contain the terrorist acts to the Jerusalem area alone. He had been losing sleep as of late, having realized that the terrorist campaign is creeping into other parts of Judea and Samaria. Abbas has maintained security coordination efforts with Israel. He is unlikely to shirk his duties unless the Palestinian street forces him to do so.
The Americans and the Jordanians assume Israel wants to move on and restore calm. The terrorist attacks have all but subsided over the past several days, and Thursday was no exception. But violence could erupt again if local groups, which follow a handful of grassroot leaders, decide to defy the Palestinian Authority.
This is why it is safe to assume that Netanyahu was asked, behind closed doors, to lend a hand. The first step, which is quite straightforward, is to reiterate that Israel would like to keep the status quo on Temple Mount, despite the protests this would surely generate among radicals in Israel and in Palestinian cities. This is a necessary first step. Netanyahu has already communicated this intent in Hebrew. Now, flanked by Kerry and Abdullah, he should say this in Arabic and English.
Israel should then decide to make a symbolic concession that would convince the PA and Jordan that the time is ripe for a calmer atmosphere. It is unclear what Israel offered on Thursday or what the Jordanians were willing to accept.
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