Breaking Christian News

King of Jordan Meets With President Trump Today: They Were Going to Talk About Israel, But after Yesterday's Horrific Chemical Attack in Syria...

News Staff : Apr 5, 2017
CBN News

The meeting comes ahead of a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas scheduled for late May.

airlift(Washington, DC)—[CBN News] King Abdullah of Jordan [is meeting] with President Trump at the White House today. (Screengrab via Fox News)

The King was hoping to put solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the top of the agenda.  But in the aftermath of this week's deadly Syrian chemical attack that killed dozens of Syrian civilians, including women and children, the two leaders must also discuss the destabilizing threat posed by Jordan's next-door neighbor.

While various media outlets continue to focus on the "peace process" between Israel and the Palestinians, the White House put it third on the list of items of business with King Abdullah. 

 The official press statement indicated the president and the king will "exchange views on a range of shared interests in the Middle East, including how Jordan can best defeat ISIS, end the conflict in Syria, and advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

The meeting comes after an Arab summit last week where leaders renewed an offer to recognize Israel in exchange for the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem.

That's the same deal they offered in 2002. A deal that Israeli leaders and citizens have repeatedly rejected. 

The Jordanian Embassy in Washington released a statement saying that Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi have "reaffirmed the need to reach a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative."

Abdullah and Sisi are expected to present Trump with a plan for peace talks between the two countries. 

[Click here to watch the video of President Trump's remarks with King Abdullah at the White House]

Trump has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel although he has not moved forward with the campaign promise of relocating the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 

Arab world leaders have stipulated that in order to move forward with a two-state solution, Israel would be required to freeze settlement activity.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shown no signs of slowing down. Last week, he approved a new settlement for the first time in 20 years. According to the Independent, he has also proposed unilateral Israeli construction limits. 

Israel ambassador Michael Oren says Israel is looking for the Palestinians to not just talk about peace, but actually mean it. 

The meeting comes ahead of a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas scheduled for late May, Jerusalem Post reports.