His Majesty King Abdullah reiterated that Jordan rejects any proposal of a confederation or federation with the Palestinians at the current stage, saying it is a conspiracy against the two sides.

“We refuse the notion of confederation or federation. This proposal at this stage is a conspiracy against both Palestine and Jordan,” the King told Al Ghad daily newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.

King Abdullah said Jordan will not accept these solutions, no matter what the pressures are.

“As for the future relationship with Palestine, it's premature to discuss it. This will only be done after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian soil. The Jordanian and Palestinian people will decide the form of this relationship,” the King added.

His Majesty said Jordan refuses any settlement of the Palestinian issue at the expense of the Kingdom.

“I say clearly that the idea of confederation or federation, or what is called administrative responsibility, is a conspiracy against the Palestinian cause, and Jordan will not involve itself in it. Despite that, and as we have stressed earlier, once the Palestinian decision is sovereign and once a state of law and institutions is established west of the river on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the form of relationship between Jordan and Palestine will be a decision of the people,” the King said.

“Israel should clarify what it wants. If it wants permanent and lasting peace, it has to move quickly towards that solution. It must explain to the Palestinians, the Arabs and the rest of the world what it wants. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will not hesitate to confront any plan, whether from Israel or elsewhere, that evades the condition for peace: the establishment of a Palestinian state. We will continue to work, discuss and exert pressure to achieve that. Whoever wants peace should not circumvent its conditions by advancing alternative proposals, such as confederation and federation. Those who want peace should exert every possible effort to reach a two-state solution," King Abdullah added.

The Jordan Times