US President Biden emphasises support for Al-Aqsa status quo in meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah

President Joe Biden on Thursday underlined his support for the legal "status quo" of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound in a meeting at the White House with Jordanian King Abdullah II.

Biden, the king and Crown Prince Hussein had a private lunch in which the US president "reaffirmed the close, enduring nature of the friendship between the United States and Jordan," the White House said.

Biden reaffirmed "the critical need to preserve the historic status quo," while referencing the increased violence often perpetuated by Israeli forces around the Al-Aqsa compound, which is located in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

The US President also recognised Jordan's "crucial role as the custodian of Muslim holy places in Jerusalem," the White House said in a statement.

Jordan's longstanding status quo allows only Muslims to worship at the compound - considered Islam’s third holiest site - which is managed by the Jordanian-affiliated Islamic Waqf.

However, tensions sparked last month between Israel and its Arab allies when far-right Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would continue to storm the holy site and "ignore" Jordan's concerns.

Ties between Tel Aviv and Amman have become increasingly strained since Netanyahu's far-right government's was sworn in, particularly including after Jordan's ambassador to Israel was prevented to visit the site by Israeli police.

Biden further reiterated the US position of "strong support for a two-state solution," regarding Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, and also thanked King Abdullah "for his close partnership and the role he and Jordan play as a force for stability in the Middle East".

In recent years, large numbers of Israeli extremists have stormed the compound - provoking, harassing and assaulting Palestinians. In January, Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, stormed the holy Al-Aqsa site, sparking a torrent of international condemnation.