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Jordanian King Abdullah and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held talks in Doha on Wednesday.
The meeting covered regional issues and stability, particularly the Palestinian file. According to a tweet by the Royal Hashemite Court, the leaders discussed bilateral relations, focusing on political, economic and investment cooperation.
His Majesty King Abdullah II meets with #Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and discusses the historical bilateral ties and prospects for expanding political, economic, and investment cooperation #Jordan pic.twitter.com/al0i5YGsRV
— RHC (@RHCJO) Jan. 25, 2023
The stop in Qatar is part of Abdullah’s tour that will include Canada and the United States, where he is expected to hold meetings with members of US congressional committees, according to media reports.
A strong supporter of the two-state solution between Palestinians and Israelis, Abdullah reaffirmed his support by highlighting the importance of reviving the peace process.
Why it matters: The visit comes at a sensitive time in the Arab region, especially following several high-level meetings that have been taking place among regional leaders.
Several issues are currently in the regional limelight: the Iranian nuclear file, the concerning developments between Israel and Palestine, as well as energy-related matters that are affecting the world. Russia's war on Ukraine has given the Arab region a chance to reposition itself in world affairs, which is what political leaders are currently trying to enforce.
The meeting is of particular significance, especially given the extreme-right government in Israel and the latest meeting that Abdullah had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Amman, where Jordan’s custodianship over the holy sites in Jerusalem was also covered.
The Royal Hashemite Court issued a statement following the meeting. “King Abdullah stressed the importance of respecting the historical and legal status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif,” it read.
The Jordanian royal Hashemite family has been the custodian of the holy sites in east Jerusalem since 1924, and the status of Jerusalem is a red line for the king.
This was made clear in a CNN interview with Abdullah last December. “We have certain red lines. And if people want to push those red lines then we will deal with that. But I have to believe that there is a lot of people in Israel that are concerned as much as we are,” he said.
Know more: Bilateral relations between Qatar and Jordan go way back and have been reaffirmed through a series of high-level visits since March 2014. Abdullah was last in Qatar for the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
