French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed to the Elysee Palace Jordan’s King Abdullah, as the two discussed during their meeting, among other regional challenges, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. President Macron stressed, following their meeting, that Paris was concerned by both the violence on the ground, including the attack last Friday by three Palestinians against Israeli security forces in Jerusalem – in which one Israeli officer was murdered; as well as the ongoing Israeli construction policy, on lands the Palestinians demand for their aspired state – a policy the French leader warned “threatens the two-state solution.”
“We spoke about the Israel and Palestinian issue, and we will continue to do so shortly with His Majesty. We are both very concerned by the violence on the ground and I want to reiterate my condemnation of the attack with took place last Friday in Jerusalem but also of the continuing settlement expansion which threatens the two-state solution,” said Macron.
King Abdullah, whose country is a key component of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State, as well as an active player in seeking ways to various conflicts in the Middle East, declared that even though the threat of terrorism is a challenge for the entire world, ‘unless the challenge is confronted in the Middle East, the threat of global terrorism will continue to fester.’
“All the challenges that are affecting us, whether it’s the economic challenges or threats of extremism and terrorism, is something that has to bring us together in a focused, strategic view not only for our region but for the rest of the world. While these issues are not exclusive to my region, as I mentioned, the absence of an inclusive political solution to regional conflict means sectarian violence and the terrorist threat will continue to fester,” said King Abdullah.