Visit to Mahmoud Abbas comes amid Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian concerns over possible violence in the Palestinian Territories flaring up in the coming weeks Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met with the king in Amman a month ago and briefed him about Israeli concerns over the escalation of tension in Jerusalem RAMALLAH: Israeli media reported on March 21 that King Abdullah II of Jordan will visit Ramallah next week and meet the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to prevent a possible security escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem during Ramadan. It comes amid Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian concerns over possible violence in the Palestinian Territories flaring up in the coming weeks. The PA said: “If Israel wants to prevent friction, it must prevent settlers’ incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque throughout Ramadan, which coincides with the Jewish Passover holiday,” adding that the Palestinian leadership will tell Abdullah: “Let the Jews pray in the places designated for them, and leave Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan to perform the Muslim prayer.” A Palestinian source told Arab News: “Israel is taking advantage of the world’s preoccupation with the Russian-Ukrainian war to escalate its measures against the Palestinians by doubling its settlement activity, imposing new facts on the ground, and its intention to carry out settler incursions into the Temple Mount during the month of Ramadan.” Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met with the king in Amman a month ago and briefed him about Israeli concerns over the escalation of tension in Jerusalem. Israeli Minister of Internal Security Amr Bar-Lev also requested a meeting with Abbas before Ramadan to discuss this issue. Israel is working with Palestinian and regional parties to avoid possible escalation during Ramadan. Palestinian sources said that Israeli intelligence had offered a deal to Palestinian leaders to stop Israel Defense Force incursions into Palestinian cities during Ramadan in exchange for not carrying out violent attacks. Israel also asked the PA to speak with the leaders of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails to prevent a hunger strike scheduled for March 25, which could provoke trouble in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Qadri Abu Bakr, the Palestinian Prisoners Commission director, indicated that the strike would be strategic. It will not be individual but collective, in which all Palestinian factions will participate. Meanwhile, the chief of the Israeli General Security Service, Ronen Bar, informed US officials of the possible trouble during his first visit to the US since taking office five months ago, from which he returned early last week. The IDF estimates that such escalation in Jerusalem will extend to the West Bank and become widespread. Israeli retired Col. David Chakham, a former adviser on Arab affairs to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, told Arab News: “We are going through a susceptible period; this year (it) coincides with the month of Ramadan, when not a day passes without violence occurring in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the security situation is agitated and may suddenly deteriorate for the worse.” Chakham said what worries the Israeli security officials the most is the possibility of Hamas joining any confrontations and violent incidents that may erupt in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which will lead to a broader circle of violence. “If a wave of violence erupts against the IDF, police, and settlers, Hamas will certainly be the first to participate in it and feed it, and in the event of injuries and deaths, the cycle of violence may expand to the extent that we do not expect,” he added. Israeli political analyst Yoni Ben-Menahem told Arab News that there is a Jordanian concern over Jordan’s position in Islamic holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and that allowing Jews to enter the courtyards of the sites during Ramadan will weaken Amman’s position as custodian of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. King Abdullah is therefore working with the relevant parties, Israel and the PA, to calm the situation by not allowing Jews to enter the sites during Ramadan to defuse tension and violence. Ben-Menahem added that the PA is also concerned the outbreak of violence will strengthen Hamas’ position and popularity, and weaken Fatah’s ruling authority in the West Bank. Hamas leader Harun Nasser Al-Din warned Israel in a statement obtained by Arab News: “The Israelis tested the Palestinian reaction to their actions in the past, and this time it will not be less, but it could be a double reaction if … Israeli measures against the Palestinians continue, especially during Ramadan.”