Jordan king meets representatives of Jewish organisations in Washington

His Majesty King Abdullah II on Thursday met with leaders of the American Jewish organizations in Washington D.C. and discussed ways to support efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.During the meeting, His Majesty reiterated that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains the crux of the conflict in the Middle East for decades, adding that finding a just andcomprehensive solution is the responsibility of all stakeholders, including the Jewish organizations in the U.S.“The establishment of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil, within the June 4th, 1967 line, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in peace and security alongside Israel is a regional and international interest that requires doing everything necessary to realize this goal,” the King said.His Majesty stressed the importance of the role played by the American Jewish organizations and leaderships, noting the need to support the U.S. administration to push peacemaking efforts forward to achieve peace.The King stated that the final status issues between the Palestinians and the Israelis are at the heart of Jordan’s interest. “Jordan’s higher interests are the top priority when it comes to discussing final status issues,” the King reiterated.Further, the King spoke about the Arab peace initiative, which he dubbed, a historic opportunity to end the Arab-Israeli conflict, noting that the initiative ensured the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and provided security for Israel and an opportunity to live in peace with 57 Arab and Muslim countries.The alternative to achieving peace in the Middle East will be more tension and instability in the region, King said.King Abdullah warned of the Israeli settlement policies in Jerusalem and the attempts to tamper with Muslim and Christian holy sites there. He also warned against attempts to Judaize Jerusalem, which, he said, are an obstacle that could undermine efforts to achieve peace.King Abdullah affirmed that Jordan will continue its historic Hashemite role in protecting and defending the holy places in Jerusalem.The meeting also touched on a number of regional issues, particularly developments in the Syrian crisis and relief provided to the Syrian refugees in Jordan.Meanwhile, the American Jewish leaders hailed the King’s efforts to realize peace as well as His Majesty’s vision to create a better future for the peoples of the region.The meeting was attended by the Royal Court Chief, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, director of the King’s Office and the Jordanian Ambassador in Washington.