Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, His Royal Highness Prince Hassan Bin Talal took part in the extraordinary summit for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Palestine and Jerusalem, which kicked off on Sunday in the Indonesian capital Jakarta under the theme "United for Just Solution".

In a speech that was delivered on his behalf by Prince Hassan, the King said that the violations and aggressions committed by the Israeli authorities have recently risen systematically, noting that the Israeli occupation authorities aim to change the Arab and Islamic identity of the holy city.

"We in Jordan, and as part of our duty as the Hashemite custodians of the holy sites in Jerusalem, will continue to confront these Israeli violations until East Jerusalem and its holy sites are liberated from the Israeli occupation," the King said.

His Majesty pointed out that these Israeli measures that are condemned by the international community, form a flagrant violation of international laws as well as international legitimacy.

"Jerusalem and Jerusalemites deserve from us all support in their struggle with other Palestinians, to preserve the Arab identity of the holy city and arrive at an honorable solution to their just cause," the King added.

His Majesty also highlighted the role played by the Jerusalem Awqaf Department, which functions under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, in protecting and preserving the Al Aqsa Mosque. He said the establishment of the International Waqf and Zakat Foundation will enhance steadfastness of Jerusalemites and enable us to support economic and social projects to confront Israeli schemes that aims at achieving a demographic change in Jerusalem, and empty East Jerusalem of its Muslim and Christian population.

On the Palestinian issue, the King said that it remains the central issue and the main cause of crises in the region as well as terrorism and extremism, noting that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital, will help use weaken extremist groups and defeat terrorism. "Based on that, the achievement of the two-state solution is a top national priority as well as a Palestinian and international interest," he added.