U.S. and Israel Seeking New Arrangement for Al-Aqsa Mosque Administration

The United States and Israel are reportedly working to remove Jordan’s historic custodianship over the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and replace it with a new administrative framework that would align more closely with Israeli interests, according to multiple sources cited in recent reports.

The reports claim that key figures behind the initiative include President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

Under a reported draft proposal, the authority of the Jordan-backed Islamic Waqf, which currently administers the holy site, would be terminated and replaced by a new body operating under the oversight of the Israeli government. The proposed organization would reportedly designate Al-Aqsa as a “multi-faith center.”

Several U.S. and Arab officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the proposed arrangement would grant Jewish worshippers expanded access to the compound and permit organized group prayers on a formal basis. The plan would also reportedly give Israel significant influence over the appointment of mosque imams, preachers, senior religious officials, and even the content of Friday sermons.

According to the sources, some U.S. officials envision transforming the site from an exclusively Muslim-administered holy place into a tourism and religious destination representing the three Abrahamic faiths — Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

The proposal has reportedly been discussed with Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates. One version of the plan is said to include a rotating oversight mechanism involving several Arab states.

However, Saudi Arabia, a longstanding ally of Jordan, has reportedly expressed strong opposition to any arrangement that would undermine Jordan’s role at the holy site. While the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have strengthened ties with Israel following the Abraham Accords, their potential positions regarding such a sensitive issue remain unclear.

Jordan’s custodial role over Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem is internationally recognized under Article 9 of the 1994 Israel–Jordan Peace Treaty. A Jordanian government official reaffirmed Amman’s commitment to preserving the historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites.

“Jordan’s position on the holy places in Jerusalem remains firm,” the official said, adding that Jordan continues to coordinate with Palestinian and international partners to protect the existing arrangements. “Undermining this framework would strike at the very foundations of peace.”

Following publication of the report, the U.S. administration issued a statement categorically rejecting the allegations and describing the claims as entirely false.

Despite the denial, regional analysts warn that any attempt to alter the current governance structure of the Al-Aqsa compound could trigger significant tensions across the Middle East, given the site's profound religious, political, and historical importance to Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike.