WASHINGTON (JTA) — Jordan’s King Abdullah II again counted out the "Jordan option" as a permanent-status solution for the Palestinians.
Jordan will have "no role" in the Palestinian areas, the king told provincial Jordanian leaders on Monday, the Jordan Times reported, adding that Jordan is not a substitute for Palestine as a home for the Palestinians.
The positions are longstanding Jordanian policy. The timing of this week’s message might be related to the likelihood of Benjamin Netanyahu emerging as the winner in the Feb. 10 elections.
The Likud Party leader, who rejects the current negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, over the years has suggested repeatedly — over Jordan’s strenuous objections — that the kingdom assume responsibility for the welfare of West Bank Palestinians, while Israel would maintain security control over the area.
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