Two-state solution ‘crystal clear’ path to peace — FM

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday said that His Majesty King Abdullah leads intensified, continuous efforts to launch international action towards resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through a two-state solution.

During an interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Safadi said that the path to peace, which all regional and international efforts should pursue, is through implementing the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital living securely and peacefully alongside an Israeli state, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Israel’s attempts to impose a new reality on the ground “kill” opportunities for sustainable peace, he added.

Safadi also referred to King Abdullah's reiteration of the Palestinian cause as the foremost Arab issue, highlighting that comprehensive regional peace cannot be realised without resolving the conflict in a way that maintains Palestinians' rights of statehood and freedom.

Just, lasting and comprehensive peace is a Jordanian-Palestinian-Arab strategic choice that the Kingdom, along with the international community, will keep working on, he said.

Safadi also warned against the repercussions of plans to annex the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea area to the occupied Palestinian lands, stressing that the move would undermine peace efforts and the two-state solution.

Israeli measures, including the expansion of settlements, land confiscation in the occupied West Bank and the announcements on intentions to annex the Jordan Valley and the northern part of the Dead Sea area are illegal practices that violate international law and destroy hopes of peace, leading to extremism and bringing more violence, he said.

“The way to peace is crystal-clear: The elimination of occupation and the establishment of the Palestinian state on the basis of the two-state solution,” he said, voicing concern over Israeli violations at Jerusalem’s religious sites.

He highlighted the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, stressing that safeguarding Jerusalem and maintaining its historical and legal status quo is a priority for King Abdullah, who prioritises employing all capacities for this cause.

The foreign minister reiterated His Majesty’s position that Jerusalem “is a red line” and it is the capital of the independent Palestinian state, Petra reported.

He also touched on the Kingdom’s continuous efforts to coordinate with international organisations — notably the UN and UNESCO — in this arena, highlighting the ongoing work to support UNRWA and enable it to fulfil its UN mandate in serving Palestinian refugees.

Lauding the international community’s efforts towards securing the necessary financial support to UNRWA to bridge its budget deficit, Safadi said that the General Assembly’s vote, with an overwhelming majority to renew the agency’s mandate, is a confirmation that the international community realises the importance of the UN agency’s role.

Jordan, in cooperation with its international partners, is working according to a “clear plan” to ensure aid flow to UNRWA, he added.

Responding to a question on Jordanian-Palestinian coordination, Safadi stressed the “incessant institutional coordination” on all levels, affirming that the Arab stance is committed to the Arab Peace Initiative, which has been reiterated at Arab summits and through resolutions passed by the Arab League Council’s meetings of foreign ministers.