His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday stressed that the Palestinian cause will remain at the forefront of all Arab priorities, reaffirming the need to unify Arab efforts to support the steadfastness of the Palestinians in their land.

In remarks delivered at a conference held in Cairo by the Arab League and the State of Palestine in support of Jerusalem, King Abdullah said the topic of the meeting “is close to the hearts of all Arabs”, noting that Jerusalem is the First Qibla for Muslims, and that the region cannot live in peace, stability, and prosperity without any progress made on the Palestinian cause.

“We reiterate that preserving the prospects of peace, on the basis of the two-state solution, demands ceasing all Israeli violations, incursions into Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, and attempts for temporal and spatial division,” His Majesty said.

The King warned that any attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo will have negative ramifications on the security and stability of the entire region.

Reaffirming Jordan’s support for the Palestinians, His Majesty called on the international community to guarantee their just and legitimate rights to establish an independent, viable, and sovereign Palestinian state, on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The King said Jordan continues to exert all efforts under the Hashemite Custodianship to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, including maintenance and restoration projects in Al Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

His Majesty noted that these efforts are aimed at safeguarding the Arab identity of the Holy City, supporting the resilience of Jerusalemites, and guaranteeing Muslims’ and Christians’ freedom of worship.

“This is the legacy of the Prophet Mohammad, as inherited by the Hashemites through my great-great-grandfather Sharif Hussein bin Ali, when he answered the call of the Palestinians, over a century ago,” the King stressed.

Within this historical responsibility, His Majesty said the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan supports “our Christian brothers and sisters in Jerusalem, as they seek to protect their churches and counter violations against their holy sites.”

“We reaffirm our commitment to the Pact of Omar, which has guaranteed harmony and coexistence in Jerusalem for over 1,400 years,” the King added.

His Majesty also thanked the Arab League for organising the conference in coordination with the Palestinians, noting that it comes at a time “when we must all step up our efforts to support the steadfastness of our brothers and sisters in the Palestinian Territories.”

The conference is being held with Arab, regional, and international participation, based on a decision at the 31st Arab Summit held in Algeria last November.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Awqaf Minister Mohammad Khalaileh, and Jordan’s Permanent Representative at the Arab League in Cairo Amjad Adaileh attended the conference from the Jordanian delegation.