King urges further pan-Arab action to defend Jerusalem

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday met Arab foreign ministers who are members of an Arab League committee tasked with following up on efforts to address the repercussions of the US decision recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocating the US embassy in the city.

The taskforce comprises foreign ministers of Egypt Sameh Shoukry, Palestine Riyad Al Maliki, Saudi Arabia Adel Jubair, Morocco Nasser Bourita and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Qarqash, as well as Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

During the meeting held at Al Husseiniya Palace, His Majesty stressed the importance of intensifying efforts and coordinating Arab stances to support Palestinians in maintaining their legal and historical rights in Jerusalem and realising their aspiration of establishing the independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

King Abdullah reiterated that the Jerusalem issue has to be solved within the final status talks that lead to a lasting and just peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, based on the two-state solution, international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, according to a Royal Court statement. 

The King highlighted the importance of supporting Jerusalemites’ resilience and protecting the Arab character of Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites, calling for building on the international consensus on the legal status of the city. 

He also reiterated that Jordan, based on its Hashemite custodianship of Muslim and Christian sites in the city, will exert all efforts to shoulder its religious and historical responsibilities in safeguarding these holy sites in Jerusalem. 

The meeting also focused on the best means to face the US decision that contradicts international legitimacy resolutions, which stipulate that the status of Jerusalem cannot be decided except through negotiations between relevant parties. 

His Majesty and the ministers agreed on intensifying efforts to find a political means to achieve progress towards a solution that ends the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in a way that meets the Palestinian people’s rights to freedom and establishing their independent state. 

The Arab League had earlier announced the formation of a micro Arab ministerial team of the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as the Arab League chief to follow up on the negative consequences of the US decision on Jerusalem and explain its dangers in view of the historical and religious status of Jerusalem for Arabs and Muslims.

The ministerial delegation was named upon Arab League decision 8821, which was issued in an Arab League Council meeting called for by Jordan and Palestine in December.

Also on Saturday, His Majesty met separately with Bourita who conveyed a message from Moroccan King Mohammad VI on bilateral relations and the regional developments.

King Abdullah conveyed his greetings to the Moroccan king, and stressed the deep-rooted brotherly ties between the two kingdoms, voicing his keenness to further develop them at all levels, according to a Royal Court statement.