His Majesty King Abdullah received on Thursday a telephone call from French President Nicolas Sarkozy during which they discussed Arab and international efforts to pressure Israel into ending its aggression on Gaza immediately.

The King emphasised the international community's moral and legal responsibility towards the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip, calling for firm measures to halt the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, reiterating that the Jewish state will not achieve security through the use of force, which will only increase regional tension. He drew attention to the impact of such aggression on the region, especially efforts to reach a just peace based on the two-state solution as the only way to attain security and stability in the Middle East.

Immediately after a ceasefire, the international community should work for a peaceful solution of the conflict, the King told the French president, noting that such an outcome would only be feasible if it leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil. For his turn, Sarkozy briefed the King on France's efforts to reach a ceasefire and the outcome of his talks with leaders during his visit last week to the region.