Jordan’s King Abdullah hosts Israeli PM for talks about peace process

AMMAN // Jordan’s King Abdullah II hosted the Israeli prime minister in Amman on Thursday for talks on the Middle East peace process, palace officials said.

The rare and unnannounced meeting comes as US secretary of state John Kerry presses Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a framework to guide peace talks forward.

“King Abdullah and Netanyahu discussed peace process developments in light of the current US-sponsored Israeli-Palestinians peace negotiations,” the palace said. An official said the talks took place on Thursday but would not elaborate.

The palace said the meeting “seeks to make sure a progress in the peace talks would meet Palestinian aspirations and at the same time protect Jordanian interests, particularly final status issues at this critical stage”.

In Jerusalem, a spokesman for Mr Netanyahu refused to comment on the matter.

Mr Netanyahu’s last visit to Jordan was in February last year.

The peace talks have in recent months focused specifically on security, with Mr Kerry and his team proposing a detailed plan for the Jordan Valley, where the West Bank borders Jordan.

The proposal reportedly includes the use of advanced technology, thereby allowing Israel to reduce or replace its troop presence on the ground.

Details published in the Israeli media indicate the US plan details arrangements for a transitional period and for a permanent status arrangement involving advanced technological equipment and unique weaponry, as well as early warning stations and security over air space.

Israel has always insisted that in any final agreement, it would have to maintain a military presence in the Jordan Valley and has rejected outright the idea of any third party involvement.

Mr Netanyahu has also said Israel would only accept the emergence of a Palestinian state if it was demilitarised.

But the Palestinians have rejected outright the idea of Israel maintaining any kind of military presence in their future state although they would accept the deployment of a third party along the frontier.

Mr Kerry left the region last week following four days of intense meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, during which he failed to secure an agreement on a framework.

The US official coaxed Israelis and Palestinians back into direct negotiations last summer and has since shuttled tirelessly between the two leaderships in a bid to keep the talks alive.

Jordan and Saudi Arabia will be key to any peace deal.

Jordan’s historic role in the guardianship of Muslim sites in Israeli-annexed Arab East Jerusalem is recognised under its 1994 peace treaty with Israel.

And Saudi Arabia authored a 2002 peace plan that is the basis for Arab aspirations for any deal.

Mr Kerry, who has pledged any accord will be “fair and balanced”, acknowledged on Wednesday the difficulties that still lie ahead to achieve a framework deal within the nine months the two sides agreed to when they relaunched talks in July.

Agence France-Presse