King Abdullah II meets with Israeli Knesset Speaker
Reaffirms importance of supporting Arab Peace Initiative

Amman (April 19, 2007) – His Majesty King Abdullah today said the Arab Peace Initiative constitutes an historic opportunity to achieve Middle East peace and end decades of conflict between Arabs and Israelis.

King Abdullah was speaking during a working lunch with Israeli Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik and her accompanying delegation.

The King told the delegation that the initiative reflected the Arab commitment to peace and called on Israel to accept it as a basis for restarting negotiations with the Palestinians and for finding solutions to different aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The meeting with the Knesset delegation is one component of an Arab diplomatic offensive led by the King in Israeli and international circles to revive the peace process. During the meeting, King Abdullah said that unilateralism is a failure, and urged Israel not to squander an opportunity that will ensure it recognition by all Arab states and real integration into the region.

Israelis and Palestinians need to take steps that will build confidence between them, he said. These steps would build on the political momentum in the region to advance the peace process and achieve on-the-ground progress.

The King also emphasized that Israel must realize that the first step to ending the Arab-Israeli conflict is the fulfillment of Palestinians' legitimate rights, foremost of which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national territory.

King Abdullah has frequently warned Israeli settlement building and expansion and the construction of the separation barrier constitute a real obstacle to the establishment of a Palestinian state. The King said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas must be supported as he works to re-launch negotiations with Israel and to alleviate the harsh living conditions of the Palestinian people.

Itzik, who is also acting president of Israel, expressed appreciation for King Abdullah's continuing efforts to revive the peace process and discussed the Israeli position on negotiations with the Palestinians.

Today's lunch was also attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania, Director of His Majesty's Office Bassem Awadallah, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdel Ilah Khatib, Director of the General Intelligence Department Mohammad Dhahabi, Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh, and Jordan's Ambassador to Israel Ali Ayed. Several Jordanian negotiators of Jordan's peace treaty with Israel also attended, including senators Abdul Salam Majali, Marwan Dudin and Hani Mulki.

Itzik was accompanied by several Knesset members and Israeli Ambassador to Jordan Yaakov Rosen.