King Abdullah II of Jordan on Sunday criticised Israeli violations in the occupied West Bank and said the country will not yield on the issue, after a lack of US support undermined a proposal to make the territory part of Israel.
Jordan will "not accept the continuation of violations in the West Bank ... the stance of Jordanians is firm and unyielding, just like their nation," King Abdullah said at the opening of parliament, without specifying what action the country could take. All significant powers in Jordan, which has a peace treaty with Israel, are with the king.
During the Gaza war, Jordan, a long-time US ally and a major recipient of American aid, used its contacts in Washington to counter what it regarded as increasing Israeli belligerence in the West Bank. This includes the killing of Palestinian civilians by settlers and Israeli raids on urban centres. A large proportion of the kingdom's population is of Palestinian origin.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said "don’t worry about the West Bank" and that Israel is "not going to do anything" with the territory, after the Knesset backed a bill proposing a takeover. The bill was introduced shortly after a ceasefire in Gaza this month, under Mr Trump's peace plan.
King Abdullah has repeatedly warned against Israeli actions that could result in another expulsion of Palestinians into Jordan. The kingdom's economy has been stagnant for most of the past 15 years, and an influx of refugees would put pressure on its resources, as well as upsetting the social balance. A large part of the monarchy's role since Jordan was created as a British protectorate in 1921 has been a balancing act between the tribes that existed in the kingdom when it was founded and the incomers from Palestine.
The war in Gaza has prompted Jordan to limit its contacts with Israel, but keep open security ties and land crossings between the two countries. However, the authorities have set restrictions on anti-Israeli demonstrators and prevented protesters from assembling near the border.
In April, Jordanian authorities imposed a ban on the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood, a week after a dozen of its members were implicated in an alleged armed plot against the kingdom. The Brotherhood played a role in organising pro-Gaza demonstrations in Jordan, which had subsided in the months before the ceasefire.
The King said on Sunday that "our brothers and sisters in Gaza" continue to "persevere", and that Jordan, which has been a centre for delivering aid to Gaza, will "continue to send relief aid and to provide essential medical services on the ground".
King Abdullah also invoked Jordan's custodianship of Al Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites, and other holy places in Jerusalem. Jordan claims the right to administer Al Aqsa, based on the custodianship awarded in the 1920s by Palestinian religious leaders to Sharif Hussein bin Ali, great-grandfather of the king.
The king, who has Jordan ruled since 1999, said the country will maintain this "historical role ... with honour and integrity".
