By Mahmoud Al Abed with agency dispatches

AMMAN - His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday stressed that ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and achieving a just settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict are top concerns for the people of the Middle East.

During talks with US Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama (Democrat, Illinois), King Abdullah reasserted the need to establish an independent Palestinian state on all Palestinian land in the West Bank and Gaza, saying it is the key to a final settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Obama, who stopped in Amman as part of a tour of the Middle East and Europe, was accompanied by Senator Jack Reed (Democrat, Rhode Island) and Senator Chuck Hagel (Republican, Nebraska).

The King was quoted in a Royal Court statement as telling Obama that continued American support for a Middle East peace process that leads to a just and comprehensive peace would help foster Arab-US relations and bolster US credibility in the region.

He said that the US Congress also can play an important role in regional peace-making.

During the meeting, King Abdullah outlined Jordan’s position in support of the rights of the Palestinian people to liberation and independence through the establishment of an independent state that preserves the Palestinian identity.

The King also highlighted the need for the US Congress to support efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people and strengthening Palestinian national institutions. Such support, he said, would reflect positively on the entire peace process.

He warned that the Israeli settlement policy and Israel’s creating new realities on the ground, along with the siege on the Palestinian people, would exacerbate conflict and undermine peace efforts.

During the meeting, which was followed by a dinner hosted by Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania for Obama and the accompanying delegation, the King also addressed the situation in Iraq. He emphasised Jordan’s support for Iraq’s security and stability and said there recently had been positive indications of opportunities to achieve comprehensive national reconciliation that would have a positive bearing on the reconstruction and development of Iraq.

King Abdullah and the US senators also discussed developments elsewhere in the region, including in Lebanon, as well as ways of strengthening Jordan-US ties. The King expressed appreciation for US assistance to Jordan which he said has helped advance the national economy and implement development schemes.

King Abdullah met with the Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, in March, during the latter’s tour of the region.

At a press conference held at Amman Citadel, Obama said that US policy on Israel will not change with the change of administration, but vowed he would be more involved in the Middle East peace process if elected president.

“The US will remain a friend of the Israelis under a McCain administration and will remain a friend of the Israelis under an Obama administration,” he said.

“However, what can be changed is that we can apply sustained energy and focus” to the Middle East peace process.

The senator, who arrived in Amman from visits to Afghanistan and Iraq along with two other members of the Senate, urged both Palestinians and Israelis to make compromises, noting that such compromises need strong leadership and popular support, a requirement that is not available at the time being.

“The Israeli government is unsettled and the Palestinians are divided,” the Democratic nominee-in-waiting said.

US involvement is not enough to bring about the envisioned peace, he said.

“It’s unrealistic to expect a US president alone to snap his fingers and bring peace to the region.”

On Iraq, he said the security situation has improved and a “security tactical success” has been achieved. What is needed now is a political solution, noting that the return of resigned Sunni members of the Cabinet to the government is a good sign.

He stressed that the focus should be shifted now to Afghanistan, which he described as a "central front in the war against terrorism".

"The situation in Afghanistan is perilous and urgent," he said. "We must act now to reverse a deteriorating situation."

Taking some of the money spent on the Iraq war, which he set at $10-12 billion a year, would help, especially since the Iraqi government is now making good money out of its oil sales after the prices of the vital commodity have gone up to unprecedented levels.

He reiterated his goal of withdrawing combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of becoming president. But he said he would consult with military commanders to determine how many troops to keep in the country to protect diplomatic and humanitarian operations, to train Iraqis and to conduct counterterrorism operations against Al Qaeda in Iraq.

"My goal is to no longer have US troops engaged in combat operations in Iraq," he said, stressing that what he proposes is a strategic plan he sees best serving the US interests, but did not rule out that changes to the plan might take place during the course of implementation as new facts emerge on the ground.

Obama and his two companions emphasised at the news conference the need to turn US attention to Afghanistan and to help Pakistan confront a growing terrorist presence within its borders.

The three emphasised the need for a multi-lateral strategy to handle the Afghan problem, including efforts by the government in Kabul to fight corruption and drug farming and trade.

Later in the evening, King Abdullah saw Senator Obama off at the Queen Alia International Airport from where he flew to Israel.