Embassy of Jordan - Washington, DC
Information Bureau

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
His Majesty King Abdullah II Meets Arab, Muslim and Jewish Organizations

Washington, DC (March 7, 2007) – His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday said Jewish American organizations can make an important contribution to regional peace-making by encouraging the US administration and Congress to engage.

The King also urged Jewish American leaders to acknowledge the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative for Israeli and Palestinian security.

The Arab Peace Initiative envisions comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, with full security guarantees for Israel from every Arab state in exchange for the establishment of a viable, independent Palestinian state, Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territory occupied since 1967 and an agreed settlement to the refugee question.

The initiative was tabled by Arab states in 2002, but is drawing increasing interest from Muslim states from outside the region that want to make a constructive contribution to regional peace-making.

The King said that the Arab Peace Initiative could lead to Israel's full integration into the region and formal ties with Muslim states that have refrained from normalizing ties with Israel because of their opposition to Israel's occupation of Palestine. He added that Israelis and Arabs are today facing a choice between perpetual chaos and violence or full peace, stability and security for all the states of the region, including Israel.

King Abdullah told the group that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has a mandate to negotiate a peace deal, but that his role must be strengthened. He said that could be achieved through support for peace-making on the basis of the Arab Peace Initiative, for the efforts of the Arab Quartet and for American engagement in Middle East peace-making.

He added that US leadership is "indispensable" to Middle East peace and urged the group to encourage the US administration and Congress to advance the creation of a viable, independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

The King's meeting with Jewish organizations was preceded by another with leaders of the Arab- and Muslim-American community, whose support for American diplomacy in the region can also help foster Middle East peace. In recent interviews, King Abdullah has said that he hopes people in the Palestinian territories, Israel and elsewhere make known to their elected representatives their concern about the Middle East conflict and the importance of a just resolution to regional conflict.

King Abdullah is on a working visit to the US to advance Arab diplomacy for Middle East peace. Over the past two days, he has met with US President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Earlier today, he met with elected representatives, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In an historic address to a joint meeting of Congress, the King appealed for greater US engagement in regional peace-making. He told legislators that the US' responsibility towards the region was "paramount" and that its potential to help Palestinians and Israelis find peace was "unrivalled".