Jordan’s King Abdullah II pays unannounced visit to West Bank

[bemildred]

REPORTING FROM RAMALLAH, WEST BANK -– Jordan’s King Abdullah II arrived Monday in the West Bank for an unannounced visit, his first in more than 10 years.

Jordan’s foreign minister, Nasser Joudeh, spoke at a news conference in Ramallah while Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Abdullah met, and said an independent Palestinian state was in Jordan’s best interest. He expressed hope that Abdullah’s next visit would be to such a state, with Jerusalem as its capital.

He said that resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians based on a statement last month by the so-called quartet -- the U.S., Russia, the European Union and the United Nations -- calling on both sides to come up with proposals for solving the security and borders issues within three months “is the goal we want to reach, because it is what will guarantee the establishment of the state through solving all final status issues.”

Speeding up negotiations and reaching some sort of solution for security and borders would put an end to the Israeli settlement program, Joudeh said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/11/jordans-king-abdullah-pays-surprise-visit-to-palestinian-areas.html

[jwirr]

1. Let us hope this will lead to another step toward peace. The world

cannot afford anymore hate and war.

[monmouth]

2. I'll never forget the time, during Obama's campaign, Condi Rice would

not grant permission for a car (State, I think) to get him to the airport. Jordan's King Abdullah jumps in his SUV and drove to where Senator Obama was staying, picked him up and drove him personally to the plane. DU howled with admiration and a big FU to Condi. Those were great times.