Thursday [June 27] as part of his Middle East trip, U.S. Secretary General John Kerry held a meeting with king Abdullah of Jordan, and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, and the efforts to resume the political process between Israel and the Palestinians.The two leaders also held talks on the current situation in Syria and its effects on countries in the Middle East.
King Abdullah told Kerry that it is essential to start direct talks based on the two-state solution, and the full implementation of international legitimacy resolutions.
He added that Jordan will continue to push for bringing Israel and the Palestinians together on the negotiations table in order to discuss final status issues, but also warned of unilateral Israeli measures, such as its ongoing settlement activities, and called for an end of violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine.
The Jordanian monarch said that the only path to real peace and stability in the Middle East is establishing an independent and viable Palestinian State on the borders of June 4 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He further stated that the Arab peace Initiative of 2002 still represents a real opportunity for comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
On his part, Kerry informed King Abdullah of U.S. efforts to achieve peace in the region, and the ongoing attempts to bring the Palestinians and Israel together in order to reach a comprehensive agreement.
Kerry thanked Jordan and king Abdullah for their efforts, and for boosting stability in the region. He also thanked Jordan for aiding Syrian refugees.
In 2002, Arab states presented Israel with the Arab Peace Initiative offering full normalization and comprehensive peace with Israel in return for its fill withdrawal from all Palestinian and Arab territories captured in 1967.
Tel Aviv did not officially decline the offer, but expressed what it called “reservations” on certain articles of the initiative.
Israel believes it has the right to keep its settlement blocks in the occupied territories, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem, refuses withdrawal from East Jerusalem, refuses to fully stop its illegal settlement activities, in addition to refusing to hold talks on other vital issues such as borders, natural resources and the Right of return of Palestinian refugees.
