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Last update - 08:21 08/10/2009
Jordan's king to Haaretz: Without two states, there is no future
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: Temple Mount, Israel News 

Jordan's King Abdullah II has asked Haaretz to relay a message to the Israeli public that it disavow the illusion that the status quo can be perpetuated, because as a result of the diplomatic impasse, "We are sliding back into the darkness.

"Is Israel going to be fortress Israel or is it going to be part of the neighborhood? Because if there is no two-state solution, what future do we all have together?" he asked in an exclusive interview on Tuesday at his palace in Amman at the height of the disturbances in East Jerusalem.

"Show me the future of Israel 10 years from now. Where do you want Israel to be vis-a-vis its relationship with Jordan and other Arab countries? I understand that you tend to live in the here and now. You are worried about the next threat. It is difficult for an Israeli to look into the future because of the security aspect. But if there is peace and stability, then people can look into the future."
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Jerusalem is "a tinderbox that will have a major flashpoint throughout the Islamic world," he added.

The king said he had raised the sanctity and sensitivity of Jerusalem with every Israeli prime minister, including Benjamin Netanyahu. He said that it "is important to understand the need of ending all settlement activities and other unilateral actions that threaten the identity of the holy city."

Abdullah said he had also discussed the issue with the U.S. administration. He warned that attempts to change the situation in the city could destabilize relations with Jordan, which by agreement has a special function in Jerusalem, and could damage efforts to renew negotiations with the Palestinians.

When asked whether he supports bringing back the wall that divided the city until June 1967, Abdullah said: "I don't believe in dividing the city with a wall. We don't want to see walls anywhere. Walls eventually do come down. Putting up walls have never helped societies."

Jerusalem should be a symbol of coexistence for the three monotheistic faiths, he added.

With the Israel-Jordan peace treaty approaching its 15th anniversary, the 48-year-old Jordanian leader recalled the glory days of relations between the two neighboring countries. He spoke of the feelings of friendship and faith his father, the late King Hussein, had for Yitzhak Rabin. He said that unfortunately, "our relationship is getting colder."

The king, who this year marked his 10th anniversary on the throne, attributes the gap between the two countries to foot-dragging on negotiations with the Palestinians and the settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Abdullah called for a renewal of talks on the basis of understandings that had been reached with previous Israeli governments, and not to begin from point zero.

In reference to his decision to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in Jordan, Abdullah pledged that it would be done with the safest and most efficient technology available, to protect the facilities from natural disasters or terror attacks. "We will, and we all should, be transparent when it comes to nuclear energy," he said.

When asked whether, in this reference to transparency, he had Israel in mind, he said, "It's sort of a dark subject. And that applies to Israel as it applies to other countries."

The Haaretz interview with King Abdullah will appear in full in Friday's edition of Week's End.

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      1.   Tell yiour Arab brothers to look in the mirror 04:06  |  A Nice Fellow 08/10/09
      2.   The king of Jordan really meant: "No future Jordan state"... 04:16  |  ben 08/10/09
      3.   Blah Blah Blah--It`s already too late 04:30  |  John 08/10/09
      4.   two states 04:41  |  Shmuelshachor 08/10/09
      5.   Coward Jordan King. 05:18  |  Ryan 08/10/09
      6.   Good question - What is Israel`s future? 05:23  |  What future 08/10/09
      7.   But can King Abdullah GUARANTEE peace and SECURITY for Israel? 05:43  |  CK Tan 08/10/09
      8.   Jordan didn`t want the west bank or palestinians even now 05:55  |  bar kochma 08/10/09
      9.   Haaretz relayed message to English Haaretz but not Hebrew Haaretz 06:13  |  Sam 08/10/09
      10.   Good Thing Then That There Are Two States! 06:31  |  Yosemite 08/10/09
      11.   wrong, Akiva, there are 2 states 06:46  |  Mark 08/10/09
      12.   The West Bank is Jordan 07:10  |  bro 08/10/09
      13.   1 state solution most likely scenario 07:16  |  b 08/10/09
      14.   Actually,there are two states, Israel and Jordan. 07:19  |  Middle East Guru 08/10/09
      15.   1 state solution most likely scenario 07:22  |  Barry Wheaton 08/10/09
      16.   2 states= fallacy. The solution is 1 state 07:27  |  Lebanese 08/10/09
      17.   Shmuelshachor, You are right 07:27  |  Middle East Guru 08/10/09
      18.   Jordan? What is that? 07:41  |  Alex 08/10/09
      19.   to #16 : one state solution will NEVER happen 08:34  |  rediculous idea 08/10/09
      20.   the comic opera king squeaks again 08:44  |  v hardman 08/10/09
      21.   UNSC Resolution 242 does not call for "two states". Indeed, there 08:49  |  Eitan 08/10/09
      22.   Abdullah is scared because his days are numbered! 08:55  |  Issta 08/10/09
      23.   There are 2 states Jordan and Israel and if another PA/Hamas 08:55  |  ks 08/10/09
      24.   Whos future your majesty? 08:58  |  MiddleStanian 08/10/09
      25.   the day mubarak dies will be the day Abdullahs kingdom falls! 08:58  |  Achmed 08/10/09
      26.   shmuelchachor = absolutely wrong 09:05  |  yezmar 08/10/09
      27.   Jordans King and the absurdity of two States 09:27  |  DT 08/10/09
      28.   Will the King guarantee that yet another state, especially when 09:52  |  Eitan 08/10/09
      29.   Jordan is Palestine 10:01  |  Don Lary 08/10/09
      30.   No future? 10:02  |  Michael 08/10/09
      31.   #27- you are also absolutely wrong 10:16  |  yezmar 08/10/09
      32.   KING Abdullah doing his bit to make sure there is no peace 10:16  |  PETER SM 08/10/09
      33.   One State Solution 10:21  |  Iain 08/10/09
      34.   The King is a good man but he`s wasting his 10:22  |  r cummings 08/10/09
      35.   Resolution 242 10:24  |  Iain 08/10/09
      36.   a la sud Afrique 10:42  |  sami abu ismail 08/10/09
      37.   #31 iain and the mythical palestinian territory in 1967 10:47  |  v hardman 08/10/09
      38.   Jordan`s history and future 10:47  |  ron 08/10/09
      39.   Akiva, Jordan opposed a Palestinian state from 48 to 67 15:33  |  Ken Wilson 08/10/09
      40.   Ken Wilson, so what? 17:01  |  Ibrahim 08/10/09
      41.   JORDAN KINK 17:02  |  zoe 08/10/09
      42.   Ken Wilson 17:14  |  lily 08/10/09
      43.   Jordan and two states 17:41  |  Rigoletto 08/10/09
      44.   Tearing down walls 17:49  |  Mary 08/10/09
      45.   Ibrahim, post# 33 17:54  |  Ken Wilson 08/10/09
      46.   Jordan is 75% of the Mandate borders of 1917 17:57  |  Ken Wilson 08/10/09
      47.   LA 18:06  |  TC 08/10/09
      48.   King Abdullah`s preference 18:13  |  Jay 08/10/09
      49.   When Arab leaders ask Arabs to respect *Jewish* links to J`lem... 18:27  |  JP 08/10/09
      50.   Where are you taking Israel 18:45  |  Willbe 08/10/09
      51.   unconstructive comments 18:50  |  Samir Sbehi 08/10/09
      52.   To Barry Wheaton #15 `One state solution.` 19:06  |  Colin Wright 08/10/09
      53.   Jordan is Palestine, Jordan is Palestine, Jordan is Palestine 19:08  |  Jason 08/10/09
      54.   There goes the neighborhood 19:10  |  Jacob Blues 08/10/09
      55.   CK Tan demands guarantees #7 19:29  |  Roo 08/10/09
      56.   Future of Israel 19:40  |  Reid 08/10/09
      57.   To Iain, #31: you are not correct 19:41  |  Heat Heath 08/10/09
      58.   UNSC 242 replaced by (I think) UNSC 1515 20:03  |  Reid 08/10/09
      59.   #38 Colin Wright 20:08  |  Der Zweifler 08/10/09
      60.   Iain, Read 242 20:14  |  Reid 08/10/09
      61.   #4 Shmuelshachor 20:15  |  BDS 08/10/09
      62.   #11 Mark 20:19  |  BDS 08/10/09
      63.   CK Tan demands guarantees #7 20:35  |  Roo 08/10/09
      64.   Jordan killing the Dead Sea 23:07  |  Barry l 08/10/09
      65.   Road Map 23:08  |  Iain 08/10/09
      66.   to Der Zweifler #59 04:23  |  zeev 09/10/09
      67.   Justice Can Take Different Forms 04:26  |  Vladek 09/10/09
      68.   to Eitan #28 08:07  |  zeev 09/10/09
      69.   to Heat Heath #57 08:10  |  zeev 09/10/09
      70.   to Shmuelshachor #4 09:07  |  zeev 09/10/09
      71.   to Mark #11 09:13  |  zeev 09/10/09
      72.   to Issta #22 09:14  |  zeev 09/10/09
      73.   Zeev - Heard the latest? 17:51  |  *BEN JABO 09/10/09
      74.   Jordan`s king: Abdullah, 19:19  |  The Teacher/Instruct 09/10/09
      75.   if jordan became pals country 10:35  |  george 10/10/09
      76.   Shocking sentiment 19:58  |  Joispa 10/10/09
      77.   until when 20:04  |  Joispa 10/10/09
      78.   re Ryan`s 20:13  |  Joispa 10/10/09
      79.   bar kochma #8, right you are - 5th try 23:27  |  zeev 10/10/09
      80.   to DT #27 - 6th try 23:30  |  zeev 10/10/09
      81.   to *BEN JABO #73 - 2nd try 23:32  |  zeev 10/10/09
      82.   to *BEN JABO #73 - 2nd try 01:56  |  zeev 11/10/09
      83.   bar kochma #8, right you are - 6th try 14:02  |  zeev 11/10/09
      84.   to DT #27 - 7th try 14:04  |  zeev 11/10/09
      85.   to *BEN JABO #73 - 2nd try 14:06  |  zeev 11/10/09
      86.   Re: No future Jordan 08:35  |  Vini 14/10/09
      87.   UN resolutions call for 2-state solution #21 Eitan 01:40  |  Ron 17/10/09
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