Relations between Israeli PM and Jordanian King “almost broken”

Reports from Israel suggest that relations between Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu have reached a new low. According to Ha’aretz newspaper, high-level officials on both sides say that there is almost a complete break in relations between the two countries.

The two men met in May 2009 a few months after Mr. Netanyahu’s election victory, but that was the first and only time since the latter started his second spell as Prime Minister. In that meeting, King Abdullah put pressure on Mr. Netanyahu to accept in principle “two states for two peoples”. Commentators suggest that King Abdullah was less than impressed by Mr. Netanyahu’s performance during his first term as Prime Minister from 1996-1999, towards the end of which the current king came to the throne in Jordan.

Israeli officials insist that communication channels are still open between the neighbouring states, with messages passed via Shimon Peres, the Israeli President. It is known that Mr. Peres speaks with King Abdullah on the telephone regularly. Jordan was the second Arab state – after Egypt – to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1994.

Source: Quds Press