Jordanian FM pushes for 2-state solution in meeting with Ashkenazi

TEL AVIV (Agencies): Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi met with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi on Tuesday at the Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, where the two discussed the importance of reaching a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestin-ian conflict, according to Safadi’s office.

It was the third such reported meeting between the ministers at the crossing. Safadi’s office said the top Jordanian envoy used the opportunity to express Amman’s concern over on-going Israeli settlement bu-ilding in the West Bank and the demolition of Palest-inian homes by Israel.

The Jordanian foreign minister also said that the resumption of security and economic ties between Israel and the Palestinian Authority must be followed by a return to direct negotiations aimed at reaching a solution to the conflict based on the pre-1967 borders. “I emphasized that there is no alternative to the two-state solution that embodies a sovereign Palestinian state with occupied Jerusalem as its capital along [1967] lines that can exist in peace and security alongside Israel in accordance with international law, as a way to achieve comprehensive peace,” Safadi tweeted. Ashkenazi said the two leaders discussed a range of issues.

“We discussed promoting commercial, economic and civic cooperation bet-ween our countries as well as with the Palestinians. Our talks focused on trade, import and export, water, tourism and consular issues,” Ashkenazi tweeted. “We also spoke about regional developments, the common challenge of the coronavirus as well as opportunities and challenges for the region.”

The meeting between the two foreign ministers came days after it was reported that Defense Minister Benny Gantz recently met with King Abdullah II in Jordanian territory.

Jordan, an important regional ally to both Israel and the United States, has long called for a two-state solution and the renewal of Israel-Palestinian peace talks, which have been frozen since 2014.

Abdullah was the first Arab leader to speak to US President Biden following the election. Biden told the monarch that he hopes to cooperate on “supporting a two-state solution to the Is-raeli-Palestinian conflict.”