His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday underlined the need to prevent any Israeli scheme to forestall peace negotiations in an attempt to create a vacuum that Israel will use to maintain the status quo.
At a meeting with visiting US envoy for the Middle East George Mitchell, King Abdullah said Israel will use such a stalemate to continue building settlements and proceed with its unilateral measures that undermine the possibility of establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
His Majesty cautioned against wasting the opportunity currently at hand to bring about peace, saying it is a must that these measures be stopped, especially the construction of settlements.
Launching negotiations that lead to peace is a priority that all should work to realise, King Abdullah said, adding that the alternative is a political vacuum that will only increase tension and conflict in the region.
The King underlined the leading role the US plays in these negotiations and the need to put in place mechanisms that ensure the internationally accepted two-state solution is implemented within a specific time frame.
King Abdullah said it is important to extend all Arab and international support to the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his efforts to realise the rights of the Palestinians, especially their right to independence and statehood, through negotiations, which the King said should start as soon as possible.
His Majesty also said he highly valued Mitchell's efforts and US President Barack Obama's stand considering an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a strategic US interest.
The King said he was looking forward to working with Obama to achieve a lasting and permanent peace in the region in accordance with the relevant terms of reference that ensure the creation of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil.
The US envoy briefed the King on the outcome of his talks in the region with a view towards launching Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
In remarks after the meeting with King Abdullah, Mitchell described the meeting as "excellent", stressing that the US and Jordan share a strong commitment to comprehensive peace, including a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mitchell stressed that the United States is urging all the parties - Israelis, Palestinians, and Arab states - to take concrete steps in order to create a positive context for the relaunch of negotiations.