Jordan calls for occupation-ending peace in Mideast

By Laith al-Juneidi

AMMAN (AA) - Jordan on Tuesday asserted that the Israeli-Palestinian solution that meets the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people is the only way to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace, Jordan's foreign minister said in a statement.

The remarks of Ayman Safadi came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced details of the so-called peace deal late Tuesday.

"The Palestinian cause was and will remain the first among main Arab issues," Safadi added.

He noted that Jordan "will coordinate with the brothers in Palestine and other Arab countries to deal with the next stage under the Arab consensus."

He stressed the importance of the emergency meeting of the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers next Saturday.

Safadi warned of "the dangerous consequences of any Israeli unilateral measures aimed at imposing new facts on the ground, such as annexation of lands, expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and violation of sanctities in Jerusalem."

The Jordanian minister considered these measures "violation against the international law and provocative actions pushing the region towards more tension and escalation."

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump released his oft-delayed plan to end the Israel-Palestine dispute in the White House where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was present, whereas Palestinian authorities were not represented. During the news conference, Trump referred to Jerusalem as "Israel's undivided capital".

The so-called peace plan unilaterally annuls previous UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue and gives Israel pretty much everything the Israelis have been demanding.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in various parts of Palestine and Amman, Jordan in reaction to the plan's formal rollout.

"Free Palestine" hashtag also quickly became the top world trend on Twitter.

* Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg from Ankara.