Staunch defender of rights

His Majesty King Abdullah Saturday met with the editors-in-chief of local newspapers, journalists and the president of the Jordan Press Association to discuss current flashpoints in the region, especially Al Aqsa Mosque crisis and the killing of two Jordanians by an Israeli guard at the Israeli embassy compound last week.

“We carry out our historical, political and legal responsibilities and stand against Judaisation of the holy shrines despite the magnitude and complexity of challenges,” the King told the journalists, stressing the Kingdom’s endeavour to protect Jerusalem and promote the Palestinian cause.

There has been no national, regional or international occasion where the King did not have the Palestinian cause, the protection of the historical and legal status of the holy places in East Jerusalem, and the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the focus of his intervention.

Even as Arab voices seem to get weaker on the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the support for the two-state solution appears to be waning, King Abdullah’s principled stand never wavered on the issue, nor did he ever stop highlight its gravity.

The international community cannot be expected to lend more support to Palestinians than the Arab brethren. If Arab capitals do not make the Palestinian issue a prime problem and fail to give it their continued support, not much can be expected from foreign capitals, including those more sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians.

Yes, the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts have been attracting most of the regional and international attention and concern, but this should not mean forgetting about the brutal, inhuman Israeli occupation of Palestine, now in its 50th year.

The Monarch informed his audience of the issues that count most for Jordan, including the rights of the country’s citizens.

As part of these rights, the King talked about the unfortunate event at the Israeli embassy, reiterating that Jordan will not give up on the rights of Jordanians and that it will devote all efforts to make sure that justice is served. 

The ceasefire agreement in the south of Syria, the opening of the border with Iraq and the performance of professional media were also discussed at the meeting.

It is now the duty of the media outlets to carry forward Jordan’s messages on the issues of grave concern to it and  to the entire world.