AMMAN, 25 October 2006 — Jordan’s King Abdallah yesterday renewed his country’s commitment to help the Palestinian people overcome their hardships, during talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The king reiterated to Abbas “Jordan’s determination to help the Palestinian brothers in a bid to ease the blockade imposed on them and overcome the hardships they are facing,” state-run Petra news agency reported.
The two leaders also “reviewed the situation in the Palestinian territories, in light of efforts underway to set up a (Palestinian) national unity government,” the agency said.
Abbas also congratulated King Abdallah on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, the feast marking the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, during the meeting also attended by Jordanian Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit.
Abbas was heading back to the West Bank later in the day after spending three days in Amman where his son, Yasser Abbas, underwent surgery Saturday for acute appendicitis, the Palestinian ambassador to Jordan, Atallah Khairy, said.
The Palestinian territories have faced unprecedented political and financial crisis since the Islamist Hamas movement formed a government in March and the West cut off direct aid to the Palestinian government.
The West, which considers the movement a terrorist organization, has demanded that the Islamists renounce violence, recognize Israel and agree to abide by past peace deals to restart the funds. Hamas has refused to do so.
Amid stalled talks over forming a unity government that would unblock the aid, supporters of Hamas and Fatah have often clashed violently, with the confrontations killing more than two dozen people in recent weeks.
