His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday said that no party would be allowed to use the regional situation to tamper with Jordanian interior affairs or those who exploit religion to spread hate and violence, labelling the two issues as “red lines.”

Hosting notables of Balqa Governorate at the Royal Hashemite Court, King Abdullah said Jordan would firmly confront attempts to cross red lines and undermine national unity, noting that preserving the stability of Jordan is a top priority.

During the meeting, His Majesty thanked all who participated in elections and all who contributed to its success including the Independent Election Commission and other concerned agencies.

The King stressed the importance of cooperation between the government and the Parliament to address pressing issues, asserting that Jordan is built on the foundation of its people’s unity and has been unshaken despite the scarcity of resources. The King called citizens and Parliament to stand by each other to serve common interests.

His Majesty said that Parliament, lawmakers have a lot of work to do, as there are many challenges at hand. Therefore, communication is important between deputies and grassroots. The government, Parliament and all need to work in a positive spirit and as a team to open the way for more investments, create more jobs and address the challenges.

As for the Syrian refugee crisis, the King underlined the world’s appreciation for Jordan and its people, expressing hope for further support during the coming months.

King Abdullah reiterated that Jordan’s security is a priority, noting that closing the northern and north-eastern borders does not reflect a shift in the Kingdom’s humanitarian stand in support of refugees.

Instead, the move was driven by security concerns, as some of the refugees in a makeshift camp across the border have suspicious intentions, the King said, in reference to the fact that the thousands of Syrians stranded in the border region come from an area under Daesh control.

His Majesty said Jordan has been affected by the Syrian refugee burden more than any other country, but “enough is enough”. The world has failed to do what should be done, and it is time for it to shoulder its responsibility.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh said that the King has issued directives to the concerned officials at the Royal Hashemite Court to implement several royal initiatives to be integrated with the governmental measures in various sectors serving the people of Balqa.

His Majesty stressed that such initiatives are not alternatives to the state budget allocations for the government but are meant to address some urgent priorities.

Tarawneh said that some 36 houses will be built for the needy families in Balqa, and several public parks will be rehabilitated and provided with children play areas across the governorate.

In Southern Shouneh, a day centre for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities and the development of the local community will be established.

Tarawneh said that six pitches will be built in the governorate in addition to a youth house in Southern Shouneh.

The royal initiatives will also target women and women-advocating associations by funding family income-generation projects and establishing centres for mother and child care.

For their part, Balqa community leaders took turn to present their demands in various fields and other issues of concern to the country and the area.