Pence to Jordanian king: US committed to Israeli-Palestinian peace

The US remains committed to helping Israel and the Palestinians achieve a two-state solution, US Vice President Mike Pence told Jordan’s King Abdullah.

By: Margot Dudkevitch, World Israel News

On Sunday, US Vice President Mike Pence told Jordan’s King Abdullah that the US remains committed to a two-state solution, and views Jordan as a central player in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Pence also noted that in President Donald Trump’s announcement concerning Jerusalem, he made it clear that the US is “committed to continue to respect Jordan’s role as custodian of holy sites, that we take no position on boundaries and final status.”

Following the fallout over President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State, King Abdullah appealed to Pence to rebuild the trust and confidence in the peace process and work towards a two state solution.

A statement released by Jordan’s Embassy in Washington said the two also discussed the need to strengthen Jordan’s relationship with the United States as well as the role the US plays in regional stability. King Abdullah stressed that terrorism is a common enemy that threatens everyone. Pence and King Abdullah also discussed efforts to end the Syrian civil war and the need for international cooperation to find a political solution to the crisis.

Ahead of Pence’s arrival in Jordan on Saturday night, several dozen Jordanian protesters demonstrated outside the US Embassy in Amman, where some held banners declaring Pence is not welcome in the country and others calling “America the head of the snake.” Pence arrived in Amman following a visit to Egypt, where he assured President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi that the US is committed to the peace process and that it stands “shoulder to shoulder” with Cairo in the fights against terror.