Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Jerusalem is a top priority in the policy of Jordan under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, Secretary General of the Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs, Abdullah Kanaan, said.

In a lecture at the Jordan Society for Scientific Research (JSSR), which was moderated by its president Anwar Battikhi, Kanaan said that "Jerusalem has been Jordan's top priority since the establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921.

" The Hashemites have asserted the Arab identity of Palestine, preserved the Arab and Islamic identity of Jerusalem and protected its Islamic and Christian holy sites," he said.

Kanaan also emphasized the necessity to establish an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the two-state solution on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

"Without the Jordanian policy, Israel would have long ago closed the file of its occupation of the West Bank and Jerusalem and Arabs, whether Muslims or Christians, across the Islamic world and beyond, wouldn't have an issue called Jerusalem" he added.

Kanaan pointed to Jordan's opposition to US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, pointing out Jordan's efforts at the international forums to address the repercussions of the American decision, and its pursuit to reinvigorate the peace process in accordance with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

"Jerusalem belongs to both Muslims and Christians, it is part and parcel of the Islamic faith and it is the duty of Arabs, Muslims, and Christians to support Jordan to stand against the Israeli aggression", he added, stressing that there will be no peace in the region without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.