Jordan’s King Abdullah has strongly rejected any plans by Israel to occupy parts of Gaza or establish security zones within the enclave. According to state media, the king emphasized that the root cause of the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians is Israel’s denial of Palestinians’ “legitimate rights”. During discussions with senior politicians at the royal palace, King Abdullah stated that there can be no military or security solution to the conflict. He further asserted that Gaza should not be isolated from the other Palestinian Territories by Israel.
The monarch stressed that the occupation of Palestinian territories and the denial of Palestinians’ rights by Israel lies at the core of the crisis. He argued that any alternative approach is destined to fail and will only perpetuate violence and destruction. King Abdullah warned about Israeli violations in the West Bank, which shares a border with Jordan, and expressed concern that attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian civilians could escalate the conflict and push the region into chaos.
Jordan, home to a significant population of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, fears that Israel might forcibly expel Palestinians from the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Recent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian inhabitants have heightened these concerns since Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7.
Earlier this month, King Abdullah emphasized that the only path to achieving lasting peace is through renewed negotiations for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, U.S.-brokered negotiations for a “two-state solution” have been stalled for nearly ten years.
Jordanian reporter Suleiman Al-Khalidi contributed to this article, which was edited by Gareth Jones.
