King of Jordan, Palestinian President Discuss Peace Process

King of Jordan Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meet in Amman. (Petra News Agency)
King of Jordan Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meet in Amman. (Petra News Agency)
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King of Jordan, Palestinian President Discuss Peace Process

King of Jordan Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meet in Amman. (Petra News Agency)
King of Jordan Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meet in Amman. (Petra News Agency)

King of Jordan Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held talks on Monday on the latest Palestinian developments and efforts to push the peace process forward.

Meeting at the al-Husainiah Palace, both leaders underscored the importance of sustaining coordination and consultation on developments related to the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem.

King Abdullah said that a lasting and comprehensive peace is the only way to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and realize security in the region.

He expressed his country’s full support to the Palestinian people in defending their legitimate rights to freedom and establishing their independent state.

Jordan will exert further efforts in coordination with concerned parties to revive the Middle East peace process and launch Palestinian-Israeli negotiations based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and the international legitimacy resolutions conducive to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as it capital, the Royal Court stated.

King Abdullah reiterated Jordan's rejection of Israel's unilateral measures and recurrent violations of Jerusalem's holy sites. He stressed that Jordan will continue its historic role in protecting holy sites under the Hashemite custodianship.

The meeting with Abbas is part of continued coordination between the two sides to protect Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian sanctuaries, especially after US President Donald Trump declared in December Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced that the US embassy will be relocated there in May.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Saeb Erekat, head of the General Authority for Civil Affairs Minister Hussein Sheikh, Director of General Intelligence Majid Faraj, presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah, presidential Advisor for Diplomatic Affairs Majdi Khalidi, and Palestinian Ambassador to Jordan Attallah Khairy.

Jordanian Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki, Jordan's Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi, Director of General Intelligence Adnan al-Jundi and the King's Advisor Manar Al-Dabbas were also present.



Jordan Army Says It Thwarts Border Infiltration across Syria, One Killed

In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)
In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)
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Jordan Army Says It Thwarts Border Infiltration across Syria, One Killed

In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)
In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)

The Jordanian army said on Sunday it had killed one person and arrested six others who tried to cross the border from Syria.

Officials say there has been a spike in such attempts in recent weeks by drug and arms smugglers linked to pro-Iranian militias who hold sway in southern Syria.

The army says they have also used drones in their operations.

Damascus denies any complicity and says it tries to curb rampant drug and arms smuggling across the border with Jordan.