Benny Gantz / Twitter.com
In a rare public sit-down, Israel’s Defence Minister Benny Gantz met Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman on Wednesday to discuss regional stability and bilateral ties, officials from both countries said. It is the latest high-level visit since relations between the two neighbours improved under Israel’s new coalition government in recent months.
Defence Minister Gantz said in a tweet following the meeting that “it was an honour to visit the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and to be hosted by His Majesty @KingAbdullahII. Our meeting reflected the enduring ties and excellent cooperation between our countries. We are committed to working together for the security and prosperity of our nations”.
King Abdullah told Mr Gantz that maintaining calm in Palestinian territories was crucial and stressed there was no alternative to a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians to bring a “comprehensive and just” end to the conflict, a royal palace statement said. Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994.
Israel has in recent months increased water supplies to the country and there has been revived talk about regional projects and an increase in cross-border trade that had been stagnant for years, officials say.
