King urges dialogue instead of ‘pushing Iran into corner’

AMMAN — The two-state solution is the only means of ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, His Majesty King Abdullah said, warning that a one-state solution means an apartheid future for Israel, which would be catastrophic.

In a recent interview with US cable TV news network MSNBC, owned by NBCUniversal, broadcat on Monday, the King stressed that Jordan is committed to the defence of Saudi Arabia in the wake of attacks on Aramco facilities, highlighting that the Kingdom has an “outstanding relationship” with the Saudis, according to a Royal Court statement (read full transcript of interview).

In the interview, conducted by NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell, His Majesty reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy are the “only way to go”, warning of squeezing Iran with sanctions and problems that might arise “when you push somebody in a corner where they have nothing else to lose”.

The King warned of the ramifications of a policy of annexing Palestinian territories would have on the Jordanian-Israeli relationship.

King Abdullah also spoke of the burden and challenges facing Jordan due to hosting a large number of Syrian refugees and the pressure resulting from the refugee crisis on the Jordanian economy, according to the statement.