King Chairs Urgent Cabinet Session and gives full support to the Palestinian People

Amman
31 March 2002

His Majesty King Abdullah II Sunday reaffirmed Jordan`s full support to the Palestinian people and their legal leadership represented in President Yasser Arafat. While chairing an urgent meeting of the cabinet today, His Majesty instructed the government to intensify contacts with the influential parties and save no efforts to secure immediate international protection to the Palestinian people.

King Abdullah called for the Israeli withdrawal from all positions and cities occupied by Israeli troops and to lift the siege imposed on President Arafat.

His majesty warned that the continuation of Israeli military operations against brotherly Palestinian people violates all international laws and conventions , and that Israel should realize the dire consequences of its aggression on the region at large.

The King gave orders to the government to secure all medical and food supplies needed to support the brotherly Palestinian people in the ordeal they are exposed to.

Within the framework of His Majesty`s contacts to follow up the serious developments in the Palestinian territories , the King phoned Egyptian President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak where they stressed constant coordination between the two countries and intensifying contacts with all international powers to discuss an outlet of the current crisis.

In a similar phone call, King Abdullah urged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to afford protection to the Palestinian people and to force Israel to lift the siege imposed on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and to withdraw its troops from the Palestinian towns in implementation of the recent Security Council`s resolution.