A historical set of detailed understandings and practices meant to preserve existing interdenominational arrangements at sites holy to Muslims, Christians and Jews in Jerusalem and Bethlehem and, thus, prevent conflict. The original or historic status quo agreement relates to Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It was established in 1852 by an Ottoman firman and internationally recognized at the 1856 Paris Conference and in Article 62 of the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, which stated that “no alterations can be made to the status quo in the Holy Places.” These agreements relate to ownership, worship times, physical structures, and even furniture, and were affirmed by British, Jordanian, and Israeli authorities. The “Immovable Ladder” at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is an example.
The second status quo pertains to al-Haram al-Sharif, which is the more delicate and commonly discussed agreement today. It was established following Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, which necessitated an understanding between Israel, Jordan, and the Islamic waqf. The sensitive arrangement restricts Muslim prayer to al-Aqsa Mosque and assigns exclusive Islamic administration (including maintenance and restoration), as well as control over entry and religious affairs relating to Haram al-Sharif, to the Jordanian Jerusalem Waqf Department. Jewish prayer is restricted to the Western Wall, and Jews are allowed to visit—but not pray at—al-Haram al-Sharif according to a strict schedule. Finally, Israel is to maintain overall security control of the holy sites.
As a matter of course, and increasingly so, extremist Jewish settlers, accompanied by Israeli government and security forces, overrun Muslim prayer grounds in large numbers, often while carrying out religious rituals and deliberately harassing Muslim worshippers for lengthy intervals of time that violate even Israel’s instructions on visitation hours. These incursions amount to violations of the status quo agreement and are regularly condemned by Palestinian and Jordanian authorities, as well as the international community, albeit to no avail.