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King Abdullah: ‘Duty of every Muslim to deter Israeli escalations’ against holy sites

During an audience with the Jordanian monarch attended by Muslim and Christian leaders from Jerusalem, P.A. head Mahmoud Abbas vowed to continue the “resistance against the occupation.”

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah II review the honor guard in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Aug. 7, 2017. Photo by Flash90.
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah II review the honor guard in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Aug. 7, 2017. Photo by Flash90.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Sunday said that “it is the duty of every Muslim to deter Israeli escalations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem,” according to an official statement.

The monarch made the remarks at a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace in Amman with Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas and Muslim and Christian leaders from Jerusalem.

Abdullah expressed solidarity with the delegations, saying, “We will always be with you and you will overcome all the challenges before you.”

While making no mention of Palestinian terrorist attacks that have plagued Israel’s capital in recent months, Abdullah instead took the opportunity to slam the Israeli government. He called on the international community to condemn “exclusionary and racist statements made recently by some Israeli officials,” apparently in reference to recent comments by Israeli Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich denying the existence of a Palestinian people.

Ruled by the Hashemite royal family since 1921, Jordan is home to a significant population that identifies as Palestinian. According to the United Nations, more than 2 million people registered as Palestinian refugees live in the country.

For his part, Abbas praised Abdulla’s support for the Palestinian cause and said that the Palestinians would continue their “resistance against the occupation,” a common Palestinian euphemism for terrorism.

The Muslim and Christian leaders deplored what they claimed were Israeli infringements on their holy sites.

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