AMMAN: Abu Dhabi’s crown prince and Jordan’s King Abdullah II stressed the importance of preserving a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, state news agency WAM reported on Thursday.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed arrived in the Jordanian capital, Amman, for talks and on the occasion of the kingdom’s 75th Independence Day, where he was greeted at Marka airport by the king, Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh, and a number of senior Jordanian officials. He was also greeted buy a group of honor guards.
During their meeting, Sheikh Mohammed and King Abdullah called for “the need to work at regional and international levels during the coming period, to push forward the peace process as it is the main way to reach a stable and sustainable settlement to the Palestinian issue that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people and achieves stability and development in the region.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed expressed his appreciation for Jordan’s efforts in cooperation with Egypt to achieve the truce between Gaza and Israel, stressing the importance of the Jordanian monarch’s role in caring for Jerusalem’s holy sites.
The 11-day war killed more than 250 people, mostly Palestinians, and caused heavy destruction in the impoverished coastal territory. Preliminary estimates have put the damage in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Egypt was key in mediating a deal between the two sides.
“The UAE supports any step taken in this direction based on its approach to peace and coexistence and its belief that peace is the guarantee of a better future for the region,” Sheikh Mohammed added.
King Abdullah and I met in Amman, where we discussed bilateral ties, promoting regional peace and the future of our region. Jordan has celebrated its 75th Independence Day and I wish the country all the very best for the years to come pic.twitter.com/QSm3EuNJPk
— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) May 27, 2021
King Abdullah stressed the importance of building on the cease-fire in Gaza and the international interest in the Palestinian issue, to activate the political track in order to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.
He reaffirmed that the kingdom will continue its efforts to protect Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, stressing the need to preserve the existing historical and legal status of the holy city and its sanctities, state news agency Petra reported.
Following Sheikh Mohammed’s departure from Amman, the king tweeted: “I was pleased with the visit of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed to Amman, and in every meeting that brings me together with my dear brother Abu Khaled, the most prominent address is the service of our two brotherly countries and peoples, and the nation’s issues, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause.”
They also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues and developments in the Middle East region.
During his visit, King Abdullah also hosted a lunch banquet in honor of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and his accompanying delegation.
(With AP)
