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Jordan's King Abdullah II. (AP) Last update - 16:46 02/12/2007 Abdullah: Israel must cede land for Mideast peace and security By The Associated Press Tags: King Abdullah, Israel, Jordan  Jordan's King Abdullah II inaugurated a new parliament Sunday with a call on Israel to relinquish war-won Arab lands, saying that would help peace and security to prevail in the volatile Mideast. The king also urged for unity among feuding Palestinian factions, saying the time has come for statehood. "We emphatically tell Israel that ending the occupation of Arab and Palestinian lands, withdrawing from there and implementing legitimate international resolutions are the only way to realize just, permanent and comprehensive peace," said the staunch U.S. ally who maintains cordial relations with Israel under a 1994 peace treaty. Advertisement Abdullah said a peaceful Arab-Israeli settlement would guarantee a safe future for the region's peoples and its coming generations. "We also say to the Palestinians that strength is in unity and weakness in disunity; so, unite your ranks and seize the available opportunity to realize peace and establish your independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip," he said. Abdullah spoke at the opening session of a newly elected parliament, where his loyalists handily defeated opposition in elections held two weeks ago. The king, a fiery critic of militant Islam, vowed to continue fighting what he said was a campaign of distortion being waged against our honorable religion by rejecting extremism, violence, and takfiri thought -a reference to the extremist doctrine, which regards even non-militant Muslims as infidels. Abdullah arrived to a lavish military ceremony outside the domed parliament chamber in the heart of Amman. The king, who holds the title of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, inspected an honor guard as 21 guns boomed in a traditional salute. Abdullah, 45, wore a black and gold ceremonial military uniform as he delivered his Speech from the Throne - the constitutional opening of the annual legislative sessions. The elected 110-seat Chamber of Deputies met jointly with the 55-member, royally appointed Senate to hear Abdullah outline his policy. Abdullah's Palestinian-born wife, Queen Rania, and other members of the Hashemite family were also present. Domestically, the king vowed continued reforms to improve living conditions in his oil-poor nation, saddled by a multibillion foreign debt and soaring unemployment, poverty and inflation. "Our vision for Jordan's future is clear and ambitious; its pillar is comprehensive reform and modernization - political, economic and social - for the sake of attaining the ultimate goal: improving citizens' standard of living and providing the means for a decent life to every Jordanian family." He outlined an ambitious economic agenda, which envisioned improved financial and monetary stability, reduced government expenditure, free health insurance and effective supervision of water and food quality following several recent poisoning incidents. The Jordanian opposition accuses the government of slow strides toward political reform, thought to be slowed down by fears of the rising influence of militants in Gaza and chaos in Iraq and Lebanon. Since his accession to the throne in 1999, Abdullah has given wider freedoms to women, endorsed several independent radio stations and, for the first time, allowed local elections of officials who used to be appointed by the government. Related articles: Jordan swears in new cabinet of 28 technocrats, including 4 women Allies of Jordan's king defeat Islamists in parliamentary elections Bookmark to del.icio.us   Undressed to impress Yeshiva student strips in a supermarket to protest sale of chametz during Passover. Ante up Hamas offers truce in return for a Palestinian state along Israel's pre-1967 borders.   1.   SAME OLD SAME OLD 16:07  |  Brant 02/12/07   2.   Mr. Hussein, they are your people, take them back and give them 16:11  |  xoxo 02/12/07   3.   " The king of Jordan" 16:28  |  Stephen. 02/12/07   4.   A compromise never works 16:57  |  Gene 02/12/07   5.   "King," spell out what the Arabs must concede 17:20  |  McQueen 02/12/07   6.   JORDAN SHOULD BE DIVIDED INTO JORDAN AND PALESTINE 17:22  |  Only Answer 02/12/07   7.   Arab/Jordanian Land 17:34  |  Mark 02/12/07   8.   The Arabs must make very painful concessions for real peace! 17:47  |  Uzi 02/12/07   9.   Equitable & practical Partition Plan that may work for a change: 17:49  |  Uzi 02/12/07   10.   Abdullah Runs a Apartied State 18:00  |  ralphsrant1 02/12/07   11.   Arabs out of Jewish lands 18:01  |  Gee 02/12/07   12.   Arab compromise 18:18  |  peter 02/12/07   13.   He has to say something to let others know he is still alive 18:39  |  David 02/12/07   14.   #1 is right 18:53  |  Jon 02/12/07   15.   Isnt it extorsion? 19:09  |  KUTW 02/12/07   16.   He should take the pals in 19:11  |  KUTW 02/12/07   17.   The King`s Stupidity (with respect!) 19:29  |  Stephen 02/12/07   18.   for peace jordan must become pal homeland thank you for the offer 19:47  |  ralph 02/12/07   19.   Dear King Abdullah II, 19:59  |  Virginia 02/12/07   20.   Sharon gave Gaza 4 nothing. The "exchange" means whole of Israel 20:02  |  Alan 02/12/07   21.   There can never be separate Arab polity west of the Jordan! 20:09  |  Uzi 02/12/07   22.   The king of Jordan 20:10  |  JCT 02/12/07   23.   Abdullah`s fantasy 20:41  |  Brod 02/12/07   24.   a dwarf clown leaves the circus 21:01  |  victor hardman 02/12/07   25.   Abdullah Would Say that........ 21:22  |  Dagma 02/12/07   26.   King Herod fought the Arabs ALWAYS east of the Jordan River 21:31  |  martin 02/12/07   27.   Bush,Abdullah,Blair,Bashad etc.. 22:23  |  Pablo 02/12/07   28.   Pablo # 27, An Anti-Christ is one who will not profess Christ as 22:47  |  Virginia 02/12/07   29.   #2 xoxo 23:08  |  democrat 02/12/07   30.   And besides,Thee "Anti-Christ"would be much more clever than to 23:14  |  Virginia 02/12/07   31.   martin #26 23:17  |  democrat 02/12/07   32.   # 26 martin 23:43  |  Axel 02/12/07   33.   # 25 dagma 23:47  |  Axel 02/12/07   34.   Unbelievable short term memomory 08:12  |  Sam 03/12/07   35.   I Never Knew You.... 11:42  |  Destiny Comes.... 05/01/08   36.   King Abdullah 04:23  |  Benjamin 11/01/08   37.   What is needed for peace is a deterrant. 16:34  |  John Allen 22/04/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: For our worst enemy, Hamas, just 2 words Responses: 41 Study: Muslim anti-Semitism is strategic danger for Israel Responses: 114 Israel to compensate family of British filmmaker killed by IDF Responses: 101 Clinton: If Tehran nukes Israel, U.S. could 'obliterate' Iran Responses: 82 Yeshiva student undresses in store to protest chametz sale Responses: 48 Rosner's Domain Obama's love affair with the rest of the world (WTR) Poll: What is Carter doing in the Middle East? Just say no to Carter The Passover test and The Passion of Passover Fight Hamas, not AIPAC (WTR) More Headlines 16:36 Israeli think tank: Muslim anti-Semitism is strategic danger for Israel 17:00 Hamas official: We're ready to accept truce just in Gaza Strip 16:42 Rice: U.S. explicitly warned Carter not to meet with Hamas 16:38 Clinton: If Tehran nukes Israel, U.S. could 'totally obliterate' Iran 15:39 Jordan's King to ask Bush to defer or cancel trip to Israel 17:03 12-year-old boy who was buried alive saves 5 people in death 13:42 Barbara Streisand pulls out of Israel 60th anniversary jubilee 15:47 Al-Qaida No. 2 slams Hamas for considering peace with Israel 15:29 UNIFIL finds Hezbollah arms; gunmen scatter peacekeepers 10:45 Small gain in Pennsylvania could mean big win for Barack Obama 12:36 6 wounded, 1 moderately, as boulder falls on Givat Olga beach 10:35 ANALYSIS: U.S. to ask N. Korea: Where's the missing plutonium? Previous Editions Select Day 21 apr 20 apr 18 apr 17 apr 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr 13 apr 11 apr 10 apr 09 apr 08 apr

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