Ammon News –
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi on Monday stressed the importance of His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit to the United States, during which he will meet with US President Joe Biden, American officials and leaders and members of the Senate. and House of Representatives.
Speaking to an interview with Sky News Arabia, Safadi said the visit was part of the ongoing consultation and coordination between the Kingdom and the United States of America as a strategic ally and friend of Jordan.
He added that discussions during the visit will focus on bilateral relations, “in particular the memorandum of understanding that we, and the United States, are working to sign, which frames the assistance provided by the United States to Jordan, in addition to regional situations, the main one being the Palestinian question and the situation in occupied Jerusalem.”
He said the talks will aim to find a “genuine political horizon that will lead us towards the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace, and to end the catastrophic stalemate, the consequences of which have begun to manifest themselves clearly, with more tension and violence”.
Safadi stressed that “the end of tensions begins with finding a real political horizon to return to serious and effective negotiations to achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution”.
Safadi added that “the work of the Kingdom with regard to Palestine, and Jerusalem in particular, is a continuous work”.
“His Majesty King Abdullah, ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, led intensive efforts to maintain calm and prevent rising tensions, and this is his path, as we have always insisted on respecting the historic status quo and law in the and Christian holy places in occupied Jerusalem,” explained the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Safadi said the whole world agrees that respecting the historical and legal status quo is the way to maintain calm, and it is an entry point to talk about the next step, which must witness practical steps to exit. stalemate in peaceful efforts and restoring hope. in their viability.
“What we always affirm is that the Holy Al-Aqsa / Al-Haram Al-Sharif Mosque, with its entire area of one hundred and forty-four thousand square meters, is a pure place of worship for Muslims, and c is based on international law and history,” Safadi noted.
Safadi warned that “any alteration of this historical status quo or any attempt to change this situation is, as we have always said, a game with fire” which will push the region towards more tension.
“The United States has emphasized and demanded respect for the historic status quo, and that is part of the dialogue that we will have here and that His Majesty the King will speak clearly, and that is part of the efforts His Majesty has made over the weeks and months spent in order to prevent the outbreak of violence that no one wants,” he said.
Responding to a question, Safadi said the United States had a major role to play in any real effort to move the peace process forward.
“We are currently faced with the status quo and frankly what we want now is to maintain calm, and that starts with Israel respecting the historical and legal status quo in the holy sites, and all measures related to the sites. saints must comply with international law,” Safadi added.
He said: “I remember that the League of Nations in 1930, the Shaw Committee, affirmed that the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif in its entire area is a place of worship only for Muslims , and UN Security Council Resolution (478) declared that Israel’s decision to annex Jerusalem is invalid.Resolution (2334) also affirmed that occupied Jerusalem is part of the occupied Palestinian territories , and the 1954 Hague Convention confirmed that Jordan is the responsible authority for holy places, and the 1949 Geneva Convention, the Fourth Convention, also affirmed this position.”
He added, “Therefore, any action that contradicts the historical situation or tries to impose new facts on the ground is a legally invalid decision and a decision that has serious political and security repercussions.”
Safadi stressed the need to respect the role of the Department of Islamic Awqaf in Jerusalem and the Affairs of the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, as the body that has the exclusive authority to manage all the affairs of the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
He said “Israel, as the occupying power, is responsible and legally bound to maintain the historical and legal status quo.”
He added that the talks in the United States will focus on “how to move forward and the steps needed to ensure the restoration of confidence in the viability of the peace process”.
He called for the launch of a “real and effective movement that protects the historical and legal status quo in holy places, and thus prevents the outbreak of violence, and also addresses the situation in its entirety, which includes the creation of a real political horizon towards the fulfillment of the right of the Palestinian people in their independent and sovereign state on the borders before June 4, 1967, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital, to live in peace and security alongside Israel. »
“The United States has a major role, as I mentioned, and we are here and the talks that Her Majesty will have will focus on how to create this horizon, which is a necessity for regional security, as well as a necessity for international peace and security,” Safadi added.
Responding to a question on the refugee crisis, Safadi pointed out that Jordan is the largest refugee-hosting country as a proportion of population.