Israel PM discusses situation in West Bank with Jordan king

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II yesterday on the sideline of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York and discussed the situation in the occupied West Bank, news agencies reported.

This comes as Israel and the Palestinian Authority escalate their crackdown on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

“Israel will not stand by, and will fight all forms of terror directed at Israel, and will not allow harm to the security of its citizens,” Lapid’s office reported the PM telling King Abdullah during the meeting.

A statement reported by Jordanian news platforms said: “The king reiterated the importance of granting the Palestinians their just and legitimate rights, and including them in regional economic development.”

As he addressed the UN General Assembly, King Abdullah warned against “undermining” the status quo in Jerusalem. Jordan is the custodian of Jerusalem’s Muslim and Christian holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque. The king said that both Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem are in danger as a result of the occupation.

This is Lapid’s second meeting with King Abdullah.

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