Ammon News - AMMAN (Petra) His Majesty King Abdullah II on Sunday renewed Jordan's committment to protecting and caring for Muslim and Christian sanctities in the city of Jerusalem, and supporting the steadfastness of Jerusalemites; Muslims and Christians and preserving their rights in the holy city.

His Majesty stressed during a meeting held over an Iftar banquet with Jerusalemite figures that Jordan will not relent in exerting political, diplomatic and legal efforts for the protection of holy shrines in light of the historic agreement of Hashemite guardianship on holy sites in Jerusalem, which was signed by King Abdullah and the Palestinian President last March.

The King instructed the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to furnish the Dome of the Rock and the Marwani mosques with carpets at his expense, Minister of Awqaf Mohammed Qudah announced after the meeting.

The King warned that Israel's continued settlement activities undermine the chances of achieving peace, which must be based on a two-state solution, and the Arab peace initiative, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital on pre-1967 lines.

His Majesty also warned of actions aimed at forcible displacement of Muslim and Christian Jerusalemites, stressing that it can not be accepted under any pretext any attempt to Judaize Jerusalem and its holy sites, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

King Abdullah condemned the so-called Sharansky scheme which aims at supporting settlement expansion plans at Al-Buraq yard and Israel's continued actions to demolish Al-Magharbeh gate.