His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday said the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza should be a prelude to the pullout from the West Bank and the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state that lives side by side with Israel.



"What we have to do now is to encourage the Palestinians and the Israelis to proceed with the peace process and build bridges of trust between them and consequently prevent any attempt by extremists from both sides to sabotage the peace process," King Abdullah said in an interview with the Jerusalem-based Al Quds newspaper.



During the interview with the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Marwan Abul Zuluf, King Abdullah stressed that Jordan will continue to exert efforts to enhance the rights of the Palestinians on their land and set up their state on the Palestinian soil.



The King said he directed the government to put all its capabilities at the disposal of Palestinians. "Therefore, we have dispatched the Minister of Industry and Trade to Gaza to discuss all aspects of cooperation between Jordan and the Palestinian National Authority and to define ways by which Jordan can support the Palestinian economy and enhance economic cooperation, joint investments, increase the trade volume and remove the technical obstacles facing smooth exchange of good between the Jordanian and Palestinian markets."



King Abdullah said that the continued building of settlements in the West Bank is a big obstacle to peace and is contradictory to international commitments.



On Iraq, His Majesty said that Jordan has worked relentlessly to preserve the unity of the Iraqi people and to ensure the participation of the entire spectrum of Iraqi society in rebuilding Iraq.



"Our main concern is the unity of Iraq, and we want the Iraqis to be able to achieve their ambitions for a decent and safe life. We accept what the Iraqis accept, and we refuse to interfere in their internal affairs. It is in our interest to help them build their state and future, while the international community should shoulder its responsibility and contribute to the rebuilding of Iraq."



On domestic issues, King Abdullah said Jordan's strength lies in its ability to distinguish itself as a model of openness, security and stability, democracy and comprehensive development.



"We are seeking to involve everyone in the development process. Our top priority is to improve the living situation of citizens, ensure a safe future for them and develop the economy. We are certain that we are on the right path.”