Jordan’s King Abdullah warns that any annexation of West Bank territory would break the fragile balance in the region. Any violation of the 1994 Jordan-Israel peace agreement jeopardizes the security in the Middle East.
Jordan’s monarch on Monday held the online meeting with the British MPs. One of the topics for discussion was unaccepted behaviour of Israel and its expansionistic efforts. Commenting on its annexation plans, the Jordanian king said that any unilateral Israeli moves to annex territory in the occupied West Bank would fuel instability and dim hopes of a final settlement of the decades-old Arab-Israeli conflict.
Talking to the British lawmakers, King Abdullah emphasized the only path to a comprehensive and lasting Middle East peace was the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on land captured by Israel in the 1967 war, and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“Any unilateral Israeli measure to annex lands in the West Bank is unacceptable, as it would undermine the prospects of achieving peace and stability in the Middle East,” the monarch told the UK Committee members in a virtual meeting, a palace statement reads.
Jordan opposes Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank
Jordan has led a diplomatic campaign along with most other European countries that oppose Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank as part of a deal being promoted by US President Donald Trump’s administration.
King Abdullah, a staunch US ally, has also in recent months warned that Israeli policies along with Donald Trump’s so-called peace plan would lead to conflict and deal a blow to Israeli-Jordanian relations.
Historically, Jordan’s Amman lost the West Bank, including East Jerusalem to Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. In fact, Jordan is the second Arab nation after Egypt to sign a peace treaty with Israel. It is important to realize as well that many of Jordan’s more than 7 million citizens are of Palestinian origin.
