His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who briefed him on the outcome of Wednesday's Palestinian-Israeli meeting, the first since the peace process was relaunched in Annapolis last month.

The King underlined the need to seize the opportunity made available by the November 27-28 Annapolis meeting.

His Majesty and Abbas reiterated their call on the international community to extend support for the negotiations, which are hoped to lead to a peaceful settlement of the Mideast conflict before the end of 2008.

Stressing the need for all parties to fulfil their commitments, King Abdullah and Abbas said Israel's plans to build new housing units in Jerusalem's Jabal Abu Ghneim is a stark violation to peace principles.

Israel's recent decision to expand a settlement in East Jerusalem dominated the meeting between Palestinian and Israeli officials, with the Palestinians demanding the Jewish state to halt all settlement activities.

The Palestinian leader's visit to Jordan comes ahead of a donor meeting in Paris on December 17 aimed at providing economic support for the Palestinians.

"The King and I discussed the conference and means to coordinate efforts to deal with it and help ease the suffering of the Palestinians," Abbas said.

Abbas voiced appreciation for King Abdullah's Wednesday speech to the European Parliament in which he stressed the right of the Palestinians to their own independent state that lives side by side in peace with Israel.

Abbas also thanked King Abdullah's gesture to treat sick Gaza residents in Jordan.

The King's decision to facilitate the medical help to Gazans came amid strangulating restrictions Israel is imposing on the coastal strip, which led, among other grave results, to deterioration in the health services in Gaza, according to Palestinian officials.

Abbas told reporters that internal Palestinian situation was also discussed in his meeting with King Abdullah.