A Palestinian-Israeli peace settlement on the basis of two states living side by side is a precondition for the security and stability of all countries of the Middle East, said His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday, the eve of direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
In his address, delivered shortly before a meeting with US President Barack Obama and other top leaders, King Abdullah said the two-state solution is the key to achieving a regional peace that will lead to normal relations between Israel and 57 Arab and Muslim states that have endorsed the Arab Peace Initiative.
King Abdullah, who arrived home Thursday, also stressed that the direct negotiations must show results, emphasising the importance of seizing the opportunity at hand.
“Time is not on our side,” the King told heads of state and key officials involved in the peace talks.
He emphasised the need to exert all possible efforts in addressing final status issues to reach the two-state solution, noting that this is the only solution that can guarantee the interests of all and create a future worthy of the region.
That future, King Abdullah said, is “a future of peace, in which fathers and mothers can raise their children without fear, young people can look forward to lives of achievement and hope, and 300 million people can cooperate for mutual benefit”.
The King also warned that the region will pay a heavy price if ongoing talks fail to achieve a peace agreement.
“For too long, too many people of the region have been denied their most basic of human rights: the right to live in peace and security, respected in their human dignity, enjoying freedom and opportunity. If hopes are disappointed again, the price of failure will be too high for all,” he said.
The task at hand is not easy, the King said, but must be completed. He warned that otherwise, radicals and terrorists would find more opportunities to create instability. He also emphasised that millions of Palestinians had suffered throughout the past decades in the absence of a solution to their problem and various regional conflicts.
He added: “There are those, on both sides, who want us to fail; who will do everything in their power to disrupt our efforts today. Because, when the Palestinians and Israelis find peace, when young men and women can look to a future of promise and opportunity, radicals and extremists lose their most potent appeal,” the King said.
He also expressed appreciation of the US president's commitment to peace.
Addressing Obama, he said: “We value your commitment to the cause of peace in our region. We count on your continued engagement to help the parties move forward.”
King Abdullah stressed that the people of the region want peace, and that this goal can be achieved if negotiations are conducted in good faith.