AMMAN — In pointed public remarks, Jordan’s King Abdullah II told Vice President Pence on Sunday that he had repeatedly warned Washington about the risks of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and that he hoped the United States would now “reach out” and find the right way to move forward.
At a meeting at his palace in the Jordanian capital, Amman, Abdullah began by welcoming Pence and said that discussions between the two longtime allies would be “candid and frank” at a time that he described as “a very critical point” for the region.
He said that he had been encouraged by President Trump’s commitment to bring a solution to decades of conflict by Israelis and Palestinians — but that Jerusalem is key to achieving peace.
“I had continuously voiced over the past year, in my meetings with Washington, my concerns regarding the U.S. decision on Jerusalem that does not come as a result of a comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” he said, addressing Pence and his delegation from across a dining table laid out for lunch. “Today we have a major challenge to overcome, especially with some of the rising frustrations,” he said.
He added that it was “very important” to find a way to move forward with a two-state solution, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state formed on pre-1967 borders, living side-by-side with a “secure and recognized” Israel. “Your visit here, I am sure, is to rebuild the trust and confidence,” he said.
Pence responded by thanking Abdullah for his “warm hospitality” and repeatedly referred to him as a friend. “We are here to reaffirm our friendship and our partnership and our great respect for you,” he said.
Pence’s regional tour is partly aimed at smoothing over relations with U.S. allies in wake of President Trump’s controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The vice president said before he left for Egypt this weekend that he hoped that the U.S. Jerusalem decision would help rather than hinder a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians. But the Palestinian leadership has reacted with anger to the decision and has refused to meet with Pence, while other regional allies have spoken out against the move.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Trump’s decision spells the end to the United States being a sole broker for the peace process. Israeli Arab parliamentarians also said they would boycott Pence’s visit to Israel, where he is scheduled to land on Sunday night.
Speaking to Abdullah on Sunday, Pence said the Jerusalem decision was “historic” but that the United States is committed to continuing to respect Jordan’s role as the custodian of the city’s holy sites and that the United States has taken no decision on boundaries and the final status of the city, which is subject to negotiations.
“The United States of America remains committed, if the parties agree, to a two-state solution,” Pence said. “We are committed to restarting the peace process, and Jordan does now and has always played a central role in facilitating peace in the region.”
Trump, however, appeared to contradict that in a tweet earlier this month by saying that Jerusalem was “off the table” for negotiations, drawing further ire from Palestinians.
Previous administrations have said they supported a two-state solution, without caveats.
Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt are expected to present a peace plan this year, although the Jerusalem announcement has complicated the process.
Abbas last week also expressed anger that the Palestinians were offered the suburb of Abu Dis as their capital instead of East Jerusalem, and he slammed the U.S. decision to cut aid to the Palestinians. Abbas said he would escalate efforts to have a Palestinian state recognized internationally, while holding Israel accountable at the International Criminal Court. He is due to meet European Union foreign ministers on Monday.
A few dozen demonstrators gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy in Jordan on Monday, carrying flags and banners, while Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza will also likely stage protests to coincide with Pence’s visit.
Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint List representing Israel’s Arab parliamentarians, said Sunday that his faction of 13 lawmakers would likely stage a walkout as Pence speaks to Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, on Monday.
“Trump is whimsical, even racist,” said Odeh. “But Pence, with his evangelical ideology is very dangerous. I do not want him to come here, give a speech and we all sit quietly and applaud him,” he said. “There are some people in this country that want to say to him that he is not welcome here. We want peace, with a Palestinian country next to Israel. Sitting quietly and listening to him is giving him legitimization. We want the Americans to know that there are some Israelis who do not see him as legitimate.”
The comments were immediately criticized by other Israeli politicians however, who have largely welcomed the U.S. decision on Jerusalem.
At the start of his weekly cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a “disgrace” that certain Knesset members were planning to boycott or disrupt Pence’s “important visit in the Knesset.”
“We will all be there and share the great honor that he deserves,” he said.
Netanyahu said the two would discuss “Trump’s efforts to curb Iranian aggression and the Iranian nuclear program,” as well talk about peace and security.
“Those who truly aspire to these goals know that there is no substitute for the leadership of the United States,” said Netanyahu.
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan meanwhile said he condemned the “outrageous” statements by Odeh in the “strongest terms”.
Pence will be welcomed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday evening by Tourism Minister Yariv Levin and his trip will also include a visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City and Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum.
Before it was delayed last month, Pence’s trip was also billed as a chance for the vice president to check on the status of the region’s Christian minority. However, in the wake of the Jerusalem decision, the head of Egypt’s Coptic Church said he would not meet with the vice president, and a trip to the West Bank city of Bethlehem was also scrapped.
In his meeting with Abdullah on Sunday, Pence said that the United States was steering $110 million in funds to rebuilt Christian and religious minority communities in Iraq and Syria. He added that the United States remains committed to a “presence” in Syria “not only to defeat ISIS, but to restrain the malign influence of Iran and other efforts in the region that would add to further destabilization.”
Immediately after the meeting he boarded a flight to a U.S. military facility near the Syrian border.
Morris reported from Jerusalem. Ruth Eglash also contributed to this report from Jerusalem.
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