LONDON: Jordan’s Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II has called for integrated Arab action to combat global crises in an address to the Arab Summit in Algiers.
In his speech at the summit, the crown prince focused on a range of topics, including the Palestinian cause, Arab trade and regional security.
The crown prince said that a just and comprehensive peace plan based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and international law remains a strategic option for Arab states to ensure the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state along the June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“It is our duty, as Arab states, to step up our efforts alongside relevant international actors, in order to resume the peace process and support the steadfastness of our Palestinian brothers and sisters on their land,” he said.
“As for Jerusalem, it is the center of our unity and joint defense of our entire nation’s identity.”
He said that Jordan, as Hashemite Custodian of the city’s Islamic and Christian holy sites, will continue to play its historical role in safeguarding the sites in collaboration with the Palestinian National Authority.
Recognizing that food security and improving water and energy sources have risen to the top of the world’s challenges, the crown prince told the summit that promising opportunities and capabilities must be capitalized on in trade, investment, industry, tourism and agriculture.
He highlighted the enormous potential of the Arab world, citing its natural resources, strategic location, trade agreements with other countries, and youth.
These advantages held the promise of an economic resurgence and a brighter future for the Arab world, the crown prince said.
Referring to regional security, he said that only collective action could deliver a political solution that safeguards Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also ensuring the voluntary and safe return of refugees.
“We must also strive for solutions that restore security and stability for our brothers and sisters in Yemen and Libya,” the crown prince said.
Nestled between Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon, Jordan has long stood as a stable buffer in the region.
The country has the largest Palestinian refugee population and is home to 1.3 million Syrians.