Jordan's king says region lacks security without Palestinian land rights

King Abdullah II of Jordan told parliament on Monday that the region cannot reach lasting security and stability until Palestinians secure their right to their land, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The king delivered the address, known as the Speech from the Throne, at the opening of the third ordinary session of the 20th Parliament.

He said Jordan remains firmly committed to its Arab identity and to defending the causes of the Arab nation.

The king reaffirmed his support for the Arab cause and the protection of national interests, and he called for efforts toward a unified Arab position.

He pointed to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and to continuing Israeli attacks in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, despite repeated international calls to end them.

Abdullah said Israel's expansionist ambitions represent the gravest danger to the region's future and the aspirations of its peoples.

The Speech from the Throne is delivered by the king at the start of each parliamentary session and sets out the government's broad priorities for the months ahead.

Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994 and serves as the custodian of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, a role that gives it a direct stake in developments there.