Excerpt from a
letter from His Majesty King Hussein to Prime Minister Abdulsalam
Majali
dated: December 4, 1997
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"As for Jerusalem, we have declared our position more than once in that the land of Jerusalem occupied in 1967 is Arab land subject to the terms of reference for peace, based on the land-for-peace formula. With regards to the Holy Places, the rights of all monotheistic religions --Islam, Christianity and Judaism-- should be respected equally, and above the sovereign considerations of any state, to become the symbol of peace between all the People of the Book, the descendants of the Children of Abraham, peace be upon him. In view of the special status of the Islamic sites in Jerusalem, and because of Israel’s unilateral and illegal decision to annex Jerusalem, we have included, in article nine of the Jordanian-Israeli Peace treaty, a clause that commits Israel to respect the present special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Holy Shrines in Jerusalem. Therefore, Jordan’s historic role will be given priority during final status negotiations. This clause does not in anyway, infringe upon the right of our brethren to establish their own state, with its capital in Jerusalem. Nor does it mean that Jordan wishes to impose on Islamic, Arab and Palestinian rights in the Holy City. Our role therefore is one of support for and assistance to our Palestinian brethren, just as much as we have a constructive role in achieving the peace of the believers, one that is honourable, just and lasting, God willing."
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Full text of the letter