Jordan using UN post to jumpstart Israeli-Palestinian peace process

Jordan is collaborating with France, which is drafting a UN Security Council resolution to set the parameters for a final Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

By: Lauren Calin, World Israel News

Jordan has indicated that it is cooperating closely with France to revive the failed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at the United Nations.

Jordan currently holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, which rotates between members on a monthly basis. The country is heavily invested in the conflict due to its large Palestinian population and its former control over Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

During a session on Tuesday, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh called on Israel to reconsider the Arab peace initiative. He told reporters afterwards that his country was coordinating with France and New Zealand on UN Security Council resolutions that would demand the resumption of the peace process. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict touches the very “essence” of Jordan’s national security and interests, he said.

French ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre confirmed Judeh’s remarks, saying that France and Jordan were cooperating closely on a variety of agenda issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The envoy praised the Hashemite Kingdom’s management of Security Council during its presidency, adding that both countries were eager to see the achievement of a two-state solution in order to bring about regional peace and stability.

Although Jordan is not directly involved in the peace process, it nonetheless plays an important role. The majority of Jordanian citizens are of Palestinian origin. The Jordanian Waqf (Islamic Trust) administers the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.