Jordan’s King warns of instability in the Middle East

Defence Redefined

Published on 14/07/2020 at 08:40

Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned on Monday that if Israel unilaterally decided to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, it would intensify instability in the region and erase hopes of resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The Jordanian monarch told British parliamentarians that the only way to comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East is to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 border, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“Any unilateral Israeli measure to annex lands in the West Bank is unacceptable, as it would undermine the prospects of achieving peace and stability in the Middle East,” the Hashemite monarch said according to an announcement by the palace.

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Jordan, along with most European countries, is leading a diplomatic campaign against Israel’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank, according to a plan promoted by the government of US Republican President Donald Trump.

Abdullah II, although considered a loyal ally of the United States, has stressed in recent months that Israeli policy and Trump’s plan could lead to a conflict that could affect Jordan’s relations with Israel.

Israel annexed the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, from the Jordanian state in the 1967 war. Jordan was the second Arab country, after Egypt, to sign a peace agreement with Israel. Much of the kingdom’s 7 million citizens are of Palestinian descent.

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Source: CNA