From the Liveblog of
Friday, April 1, 2022
Blinken, Jordanian FM speak on need for calm in Jerusalem during holy days
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
During a phone call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi earlier today, the top diplomats discuss “the need for calm in Jerusalem” during the confluence of Jewish, Muslim and Christian holidays that will be celebrated in the coming days and weeks.
This year Passover, Ramadan and Easter all fall in the same period, with the Muslim holy month beginning Saturday. Last year clashes during Ramadan escalated into the May Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.
Blinken and Safadi also spoke about the recent Negev Summit, which saw Blinken join the foreign ministers of every Mideastern country that has normalized ties with Israel, except for Jordan, gather in Sde Boker for talks on regional cooperation.
Safadi and King Abdullah were in the West Bank at the time meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Jordanian leaders have avoided taking trips to Israel absent a significant development on the Israeli-Palestinian peace front.
The last time Abdullah was in Israel was in 2004 for a meeting with then-prime minister Ariel Sharon to discuss his impending plan to unilaterally withdraw Israeli settlements and forces from the Gaza Strip.
The US readout says the two diplomats also discussed ways “regional partners can work together to support the Palestinian people.”
“The Secretary thanked the Foreign Minister for Jordan’s steadfast support for Ukraine, especially in the United Nations,” the statement adds.
The Times of Israel Community.