Jordan's King Abdullah II said Thursday he was very concerned by the wave of inter-Palestinian fighting in Gaza and warned that more violence will come unless progress is in the peace process.

The monarch spoke at a gathering of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian peace activists in this southern port as fighting in Gaza between the mainstream Fatah faction and the militant Hamas entered its fifth day.

"I'm very concerned about the violence in Gaza. It must stop for the sake of the Palestinian people and for the sake of Palestine," Abdullah told the gathering.

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He pointed to an land-for-peace initiative for which Arab countries are trying to win Arab acceptance as an opportunity to achieve peace between Israel and its neighbors. The initiative offers Israel peace with all Arab countries if it withdraws from lands seized in the 1967 Mideast War.

During a visit Tuesday to Jordan, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appealed
to Arab leaders to meet him in Israel - or anywhere else they choose - to help breathe new life into the peace plan. Israel has spoken positively of the initiative but rejects some provisions.

Abdullah said the year 2007 is a decision point. "The Arab countries are united behind the Arab peace initiative. There's a new international will to solve the crisis. The process is commanding a new attention from leaders in both sides.

"The challenge is to move forward to build momentum to achieve real results, most importantly to do so now, while the opportunity is here," he said. "If we let events drift, we'll be looking at years of more violence and destruction."

Jordan and Egypt, the two Arab nations that have signed peace treaties with Israel, have been holding talks with Israel on the peace offer, but other Arab governments have refused to meet with it unless it accepts the plan.