US’ Mideast moves not aimed to revive peace negotiations — Judeh

DEAD SEA –  Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Tuesday said there are no new US efforts to revive peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis. 

At a joint press conference on the sidelines of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe conference at the Dead Sea with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Judeh noted that US Secretary of State John Kerry’s upcoming visit to the region “will only be an attempt to contain the current crisis after the recent Israeli escalations”.

“There are no talks about trilateral or quadrilateral meetings at the moment,” said the minister, who noted that Kerry is scheduled to meet His Majesty King Abdullah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu within the coming few days. 

“These efforts are meant to contain the crisis rather than find a permanent solution to it,” Judeh said, noting that Jordanian efforts will continue to help the Palestinians establish their state on their national soil.

“We want to see the establishment of a Palestinian state,” he told reporters.

He cited the Kingdom’s historic role in Jerusalem, given His Majesty King Abdullah’s role as custodian of holy Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem. 

“No water, border, or security solutions can take place without Jordan, and Jordan’s national interest in this respect is emphasised.”

The minister noted that Jordan’s “direct” contact with Israel is part of its diplomatic efforts, saying that the country will tap into its diplomatic and legal options if Israeli escalations continue.  

Steinmeier also stressed the importance of the two-state solution as the only path to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, warning that the recent escalations in the holy land threaten the region with more chaos and insecurity. 

On Syria, both sides agreed that a political solution is the only way to end the suffering of the ravaged nation’s people. 

The German official voiced his “deep” respect for His Majesty’s efforts to maintain regional peace. 

“We are aware that the Middle East crises are directly affecting Jordan, mainly the Palestinian-Israeli dispute, Daesh and the Syrian refugee issue, which is considered the world’s largest problem since World War II,” noted Steinmeier.