King urges dialogue to end bloodshed, state of chaos

AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday called for taking all possible measures to stop inter-Palestinian fighting and bring to an end bloodshed and the state of chaos prevailing in the Gaza Strip.During a telephone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip, the King warned of the continuation of the current situation  and its repercussions on the Palestinian cause, calling for “safeguarding the Palestinian Authority and preventing the collapse of its establishments that are serving the Palestinian people”.His Majesty, who was briefed by Abbas on the latest developments on the Palestinian arena, voiced regret over the current cycle of violence and loss of life in the Gaza Strip and said the inter-Palestinian fighting only serves the enemies of the Palestinian people.

King Abdullah expressed hope the feuding sides would “engage in dialogue to come to an agreement to avert an explosive situation”.

The King was speaking from London shortly after his arrival along with Queen Rania from Budapest on a working visit to the United Kingdom.

Earlier in the day in Budapest, the King and Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom said they support Palestinian Authority’s (PA) efforts to “consolidate legitimacy, national unity and law enforcement”.

Expressing their “deep concern about the tragic” situation in the Gaza Strip, the King and the Hungarian president warned, at a Budapest meeting, against the “dangerous repercussions” of failing to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

At a joint press conference, the two leaders urged the international community to encourage Palestinians and Israelis to resume peace negotiations.

“The framework of a solution to the Palestinian problem is stipulated in UN Security Council resolutions, the roadmap to the Middle East peace process and the Arab Peace Initiative,” King Abdullah said.

The Arab peace bid is “an important proposal that gives Israel the chance to resolve the historical conflict with its neighbours and live in peace in the region”, added the King, who is expected to hold talks with British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown and other senior officials on Middle East issues during his visit to the United Kingdom.

Also from London on Thursday, His Majesty telephoned German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

The King and Merkel discussed the “dangerous” developments in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon.

He urged the EU to help the PA and Lebanese government overcome their “security situations as soon as possible”.

King Abdullah told Abbas that Palestinian infighting “only serves the interests of the Palestinians’ enemies”.

In Amman, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit held talks with Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Azam Ahmad on the Gaza situation.

Bakhit said the King on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the National Council on Policies, reiterating Jordan’s support for Palestinian people and calling for immediate ceasefire.

During his telephone call with Siniora, the King renewed Jordan’s “strong condemnation” of the Beirut bombing that killed MP Walid Eido, his son and several other people.

He urged Lebanese political parties and groups to “preserve Lebanese unity, stability and sovereignty”.