Leaders of Jordan, Egypt blast Israel for "derailing" peace efforts

Nov 1, 2009, 15:34 GMT

Amman - Leaders of Jordan and Egypt on Sunday warned that Israel's unilateral actions in Jerusalem and other occupied Palestinian lands were 'derailing' efforts aimed at resuming peace negotiations with the Palestinians, and would thereby have a 'catastrophic' effect on the region.

The remarks came in a joint communique issued at the end of a whirlwind visit to Cairo by Jordan's King Abdullah II where he held talks with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak, according to Jordan's official Petra news agency.

The two leaders discussed the 'catastrophic consequences on the region's stability and security resulting from the failure to seize the current opportunity for making peace,' the statement said.

Abdullah and Mubarak 'stressed the need for an immediate cessation of Israeli unilateral actions, particularly the building of settlements and jeopardising the identity of Jerusalem and holy places, which could only derail the chances of peaces.'

The leaders of the only two Arab states to conclude official peace treaties with Israel so far echoed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' rejection of a fresh appeal by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to resume peace negotiations before Israel stopped all forms of settlement construction.

Clinton met with Abbas in Dubai on Saturday to review the latest efforts to ensure re-launching peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

The leaders of Jordan and Egypt in their statement urged the world community anew to intensify efforts with a view to finding a solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state vision through 'serious negotiations.'