Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - King Abdullah II, on Monday, met in Washington DC, with a number of prominent Arab and Muslim community and organization leaders and discussed with them the latest developments in the Middle East in addition to the role they can play in supporting Muslim and Arab causes.

The King stressed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the crux of the conflict in the Middle East and reaching a just and comprehensive solution to it requires international community's support, including Arab and Muslim organizations in the United States.

His Majesty highlighted the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which formed a historic turning point in peace initiatives towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and living in peace and security alongside Israel.

When addressing final status issues, the King said, Jordan puts its supreme national interests at the top of its priorities in addition to continuing supporting the rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to statehood.

King Abdullah warned of unilateral Israeli measures, particularly settlement construction policies and attempts to obliterate the Arab, Muslim and Christian identity of Jerusalem and said such moves fuels tension and impacts of the future Middle East and any chances for peace .

Jordan will continue to fulfill its historical duty in protecting and defending holy shrines in Jerusalem, the King said, stressing the importance of the role Arab and Muslim organizations can play in mobilizing international support to stop any violations and attacks.

On Syria, Majesty the King warned of attempts to transform the conflict in Syria into a sectarian conflict and its implications on the whole region, referring to a 2013 conference in Amman which sought to bring closer views of various sects and affirm rejection of sectarian violence.

Turning to Jordan's reform drive, the King highlighted various efforts to bring about comprehensive reform that is up to the expectations of Jordanians in accordance with a thoughtful and balanced approach.

He told the meeting that Jordan saw the Arab Spring "as an opportunity to firmly move forward in the reform drive in spite of all regional challenges ." In remarks to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), President of the Arab American Institute, James Zogby, said the meeting with His Majesty the King addressed peace process developments and efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in this regard.

He added that the King made it clear that reform in Jordan is continuous and hasn't been affected by the repercussions of the events in the Middle East.

*Petra