Jordan to VP Pence: 'Rebuild Trust' After Jerusalem Pivot

Jordan's King Abdullah hopes for renewed confidence in a two-state solution
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 21, 2018 1:30 PM CST
Jordan to VP Pence: 'Rebuild Trust' After Jerusalem Pivot
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen wave as they landed at Tel Aviv airport Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. Pence will pay a three day visit to Israel.   (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Jordan's king appealed Sunday to Vice President Mike Pence to "rebuild trust and confidence" in the possibility of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, following fallout from the Trump administration's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Pence tried to reassure King Abdullah that the US was committed to restarting peace efforts and to a two-state solution, if both sides agree. Such a caveat deviates from long-standing US support for that approach as the only possible outcome of any peace deal. Jerusalem is the emotional centerpiece of the long-running conflict, and Trump's policy shift set off protests and condemnation across Arab and Muslim countries. “We hope that the US will reach out and find the right way to move forward in these challenging circumstances,” said the king, per Reuters.

Abdullah also reiterated that he thinks East Jerusalem should be the future capital of a Palestinian state. "Look, friends occasionally have disagreements and we agreed to disagree on the decision by the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," said Pence, per the AP. "But what we agreed on was the need for all parties to come back to the table." Another cause of concern for Jordan is the Trump administration's decision to move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Jordan vehemently opposes such a move if taken ahead of an Israeli-Palestinian partition deal. Israel views Jerusalem as its unified capital. An international consensus has long held that the city's final status should be decided through negotiations.

(More Israel and Palestinians stories.)

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