King Abdullah II of Jordan has warned Israel not to continue its violations in Jerusalem and against Al-Aqsa Mosque while condemning its illegal attempts to expel Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem neighborhoods, according to a statement by the royal court.
Xinhua News Agency said during his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, the King said Jordan will continue its efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, highlighting the necessity to preserve the holy city’s historical and legal status quo.
Secretary Blinken praised King Abdullah’s “crucial” leadership in helping to secure the truce.
The US secretary was in Amman during his tour of Middle East “to bolster the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.”
“Jordan’s recent contributions to help bring an end to the conflict in Israel demonstrate the kingdom’s enduring role as a force for peace in the region, which is one of the reasons our relationship is so strong and so vital,” Blinken told media after meeting with King Abdullah.
Regarding recovery efforts in hard-hit Gaza, Blinken said, “The most urgent thing is humanitarian assistance for the people in Gaza, and particularly water, sanitation, electricity. We all have to come together to answer those immediate needs. Beyond that, reconstruction, rebuilding.”
Blinken arrived in Jordan, where half the population of 10 million are of Palestinian origin, after meeting earlier in the day in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Egypt was heavily involved in achieving the ceasefire in the recent conflict.
During his meetings in Egypt, Blinken said he spoke with el-Sissi about the release of Americans who have been detained in Egypt.
