Jordan's King Abdullah II said on Thursday that his country's priority was to stop Israeli violence targeting the Palestinian people.
"Halting the violence and aggression against our Palestinian brothers has been our priority" since violence broke out in the Palestinian territories, Abdullah told Al-Dustour Arabic-language newspaper.
"We are continuing to deploy all the efforts we can to stop Palestinian bloodshed and carry out our duties towards the Palestinian people," Abdullah was quoted as saying.
He stressed that the Palestinian people "should be able to achieve their ambitions and their independence and have a dignified life in an independent state on their national soil."
Abdullah said he was coordinating his efforts with other Arab leaders to end the violence that has claimed more than 230 lives -- most of them Arabs -- since September 28 and to put the peace process back on track.
Coordination with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was on track, Abdullah said. "Our interests, our goals and the challenges facing us are all one," Abdullah said about relations with Syria.
"President Bashar has repeatedly said he wants a just peace that will restore Syrian rights, and we fully back Syria's right to recover all its occupied land," he said about the Israeli-conquered Golan Heights.
Al-Dustour said Abdullah was speaking on the sidelines of a state visit to Jordan by Turkish President Ahmed Necdet Sezer – AMMAN (AFP)
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