King Abdullah II of Jordan and his Moroccan counterpart Mohammed VI have criticized Israeli raids into Palestinian territories, saying such action undermines efforts to secure peace in the region, officials said.
King Mohammed VI arrived Monday in Jordan and immediately had a first round of talks with King Abdullah on the situation in the Palestinian territories as well as Arab and international efforts to contain the crisis, they said.
"The monarchs insisted that the pursuit of Israeli actions in the Palestinian territories and particularly the raids into Palestinian towns and villages will further complicate the situation," a court official said.
They called for a "return to calm and a stop to the violence as a means to resume the peace process," the official said in statements carried by Petra news agency Tuesday.
In addition, Abdullah and his guest renewed their support for an Arab peace plan based on Saudi proposals to recognize Israel in return for an Israeli withdrawal from Arab territories, which was adopted by the Arab League at a recent summit in Beirut.
"The Arab initiative is a serious and courageous position to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, as well as a guarantee for stability in the region," the two kings said, according to Petra.
Furthermore, they discussed Arab and international efforts, "to contain the cycle of violence and Israel's policy of military escalation against the Palestinian people".
King Mohammed VI is on his first official visit to Jordan since he ascended the throne in 1999, in the framework of a regional tour that will also take him to Syria, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Moroccan officials have said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
