ISTANBUL

Jordan’s King Abdullah II and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on Sunday rejected Israeli attempts to occupy Gaza and expand settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. 

The two leaders met at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement from the Jordanian Royal Court. Their talks focused on regional developments and bilateral ties, with both sides underscoring their deep-rooted relations between Amman and Abu Dhabi and their shared commitment to closer coordination. 

King Abdullah reiterated Jordan’s rejection of any Israeli move to annex the occupied West Bank, forcibly displace Palestinians or separate Gaza from the West Bank. 

The statement said Abdullah and bin Zayed voiced support for Palestinian rights and stressed that a just peace based on the two-state solution remains the only path to stability in the region. 

They also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid. Both leaders further rejected Israeli plans to entrench the occupation of Gaza and expand settlements in the West Bank, warning that such measures undermine the two-state solution and threaten regional security. 

Their meeting came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in an interview that many Gaza residents want to leave the enclave, remarks widely criticized as an attempt to justify displacement. 

The Israeli genocidal war in Gaza has killed nearly 64,400 Palestinians since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine. 

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. 

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.