Jordan’s King Abdullah II calls for cease-fire in Israel during meeting with Blinken
Jordan King Abdullah II speaks during a plenary session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Jordan’s King Abdullah II expressed his support for a cease-fire between Israel and militant group Hamas during a Sunday meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on a week-long trip in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East to discuss the next phases of the Israel-Hamas war.
“His Majesty King Abdullah, during a meeting on Sunday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, warned of the catastrophic ramifications of the continued war on Gaza, stressing the need to end the tragic humanitarian crisis in the Strip,” the Royal Court said in a statement.
Abdullah emphasized the “important role” the U.S. plays in “pushing towards an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the protection of civilians while guaranteeing the sustainable delivery of sufficient humanitarian and relief aid to the Strip,” the Court added.
The Jordanian leader further argued there would be no stability in the region without a “just and comprehensive peace on the basis of two-state solution,” and reiterated Jordan’s rejection of separating Gaza and the West Bank.
Jordan, alongside other Arab states, has voiced repeated criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling for a cease-fire since mid-October amid the rising death toll in the coastal enclave, the Associated Press reported. The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza on Sunday said at least 22,835 people have been killed in the coastal enclave since early October, according to AFP News.
Blinken reiterated Palestinians and Israelis “equally deserve to live safely and security, and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Jordan said.
In his meeting with Abdullah II, along with separate talks with Turkish and Greek leaders on Saturday, Blinken further warned against the conflict spreading further into the region.
The war between Israel and Hamas has raged on for nearly three months since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack that saw the killing of about 1,200 people and kidnappings of 240 others.
The U.S. has offered Israel unwavering support in the country’s fight against Hamas following the group’s Oct. 7 assault, but has recently upped calls for the Jewish State to minimize civilian deaths in Gaza. U.S. officials have also called on Israel to allow greater amounts of food, water, fuel and medicine into Gaza. However, humanitarian leaders have warned the aid supplies have not significantly increased.
The Associated Press contributed.