The EU considers Jordan as an important partner at global, regional and bilateral level, in particular due to the country’s key role in promoting stability and inter-faith tolerance in the Middle East.
STRASBOURG—“I will say it again and again: A more peaceful world is not possible without a stable Middle East and a stable Middle East is not possible without peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” said King Abdullah of Jordan said.
Addressing the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, he underlined the importance of stability in the Middle East and said that ‘’what happens in the Middle East has a way of making itself felt everywhere around the world.’’
He mentioned the Israeli Palestinian conflict, recent tensions between Iran and the USA, the Syrian crisis and the situation in Libya as well as the importance of providing opportunities and hope for young people in the region.
“My father, the late king Hussein, taught me that peace-making is always the harder, but the higher path. And a tough road is best walked with our friends. Friends like you and the people of Europe, so that together we can reach the future that both our peoples aspire for and that they and our whole world deserve,” he said.
In his address, King Abdullah criticized Israel’s construction of settlements in the West Bank and “disregard of international law” and accused the Israeli government of being “propped up by structural inequalities with Palestinians as second class citizens.”
Jordan along with Egypt are the only two Arab states that have formal peace treaties and diplomatic relations with Israel.
Responding to King Abdullah, European Parliament President David Sassoli said: “I think the events in the earlier part of this year stress the importance of the work that we still have to do together.”