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Jordan's King: East Jerusalem Must Be Capital of Palestine

Jordanian King Abdullah II has stated that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be only solved by a two-state decision, the Reuters news agency reported.
Sputnik

According to the agency, King Abdullah has held talks with US Vice President Mike Pence in the capital city of Amman, reteirating the Jordanian position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by saying that East Jerusalem should be the capital of a future Palestinian state.

The king continued by saying that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could only be solved by a two-state decision and urging Pence to "rebuild trust and confidence," following US President Donald Trump's controvercial decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, which sparked mass criticism around the world, especially in Muslim-dominated countries.

As the king noted, the US resolution wasn't a part of a "comprehensive settlement" of the conflict, saying that Washington now has a "major challenge to overcome."

READ MORE: Netanyahu: Trump Contradicts Israeli PM on US Embassy Move Timing

Pence, in turn, responded to his words by saying that the US was "committed to restarting the peace process."

The conversation took place amid Israeli efforts to restore diplomatic relations with Jordan, teetering after the killing of three Jordanians by Israeli guards and to reopen its embassy in Amman. ​Jordan is one of two Arab countries, along with Egypt, that have diplomatic relations with Israel.

READ MORE: Israel Pays Compensation for Killed Jordanians

Meanwhile, the US Department of State outlined Washington's plans concerning the issue on January 19, the decision on an interim facility to move the country's embassy to Jerusalem has not been yet taken, which echoes Rex Tillerson's explanations in mid-December that the embassy was likely to be relocated no earlier than 2020, or possibly even later.

READ MORE: Decision on Interim Facility for US Embassy in Jerusalem Not Taken Yet — DoS

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