RAMALLAH, Tuesday, May 31, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas met today with Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi to discuss the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and the ongoing Israeli escalation against the Palestinian people, as well as their Islamic and Christian holy sites.

Safadi, accompanied by the head of Jordan’s General Intelligence Department, Major General Ahmad Husni, delivered a letter from King Abdullah II affirming Jordan’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and support for the official Palestinian position in the face of current challenges.

President Abbas stressed that the current situation is intolerable amid the absence of a political horizon, lack of international protection for the Palestinian people, and Israel’s continued evasion of its obligations under signed agreements and international resolutions.

He firmly rejected ongoing Israeli unilateral measures, particularly in Jerusalem, including daily assaults on Al-Aqsa Mosque, the forced displacement of Palestinians from Jerusalem neighborhoods, home demolitions, killings of civilians including children, settlement expansion, and settler terrorism.

President Abbas emphasized that the Palestinian leadership is moving toward concrete steps to confront this escalation, especially in light of the international community’s failure to compel Israel to respect international law and halt its practices of occupation, ethnic cleansing, and racial discrimination. He also criticized the continued silence of the United States regarding these violations.

He praised the deep and historic ties between Palestine and Jordan and expressed appreciation for King Abdullah II’s steadfast positions in defending the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people in all international forums. The President reaffirmed the commitment of both sides to continued coordination and consultation at the highest levels.

For his part, Minister Safadi reaffirmed Jordan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people, in line with King Abdullah II’s directives to continue coordination and mobilize international efforts to confront Israel’s settlement expansion, settler violence, and violations of the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He emphasized that Jordan and Palestine will continue joint efforts and consultations with the international community and relevant parties.

Safadi further stressed that adherence to international law and UN resolutions is the only path to achieving peace and preventing the region from sliding into further conflict and escalation, warning that Israel’s disregard for international legitimacy will only lead to more violence.