Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Lower House outlined its fundamental position on the Palestinian issue, voicing its rejection of Israel's demand for being recognized as a Jewish state, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

The statement, released after an extensive debate last week about U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's peace proposals, emphasised the need to establish an independent and fully sovereign Palestinian state along June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Referring to a framework agreement Kerry would present to Palestinians and Israelis in the context of U.S.-brokered talks, the House said it rejects any final deal that fails to address all core issues according to "international legitimacy" resolutions and the terms of reference of the peace process, namely the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

It reiterated its full backing for the Palestinian people's quest for the restoration of their legitimate national rights, on top of which is an independent state on national Palestinian soil and the return and compensation of refugees.

The statement stressed that a final status solution concerning refugees, Jerusalem, security, water and settlements should take into account Jordan's higher interests, adding that it would totally reject any arrangements or frameworks that did not safeguard and meet all Jordanian national interests or undermined its security and territorial safety.

The House stressed the refugees' right to return and compensation as well as compensating the host countries and also reiterated full Palestinian sovereignty over Jerusalem and Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city and rejection of all Israeli decisions in that regard.

It made clear that "any change of the city's demography is a blatant violation of the international law and a gross breach of international resolutions." The legislature said it stood behind His Majesty King Abdullah's efforts to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause.

"The House voices its appreciation and backing of the earnest efforts that Jordan, under His Majesty's leadership, exerts in defence of the Arab identity of Jerusalem, and its firm stand against all the Israeli measures and decisions aimed at obliterating Jerusalem's Arab-Islamic character, as well as the Zionist designs of hegemony and expansion carried out daily against Palestine, and Jerusalem in particular," added the statement.

Upon a request by a dozen lawmakers, the House last Sunday and Tuesday dedicated its sessions to discussing Kerry's latest peace mission and its impact on the Palestinian issue and the region as a whole as well as Jordan's role in the ongoing peace negotiations. Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour had addressed the legislature on Jordan's position vis-à-vis the peace process.

*Petra