U.S. asked him to vist Israel, PA. King Abdullah
Photo: AP
PA: King Abdullah to visit West Bank
Abbas’ office announces Jordanian king to visit West Bank next week; earlier PA Prime Minister Qureia erroneously says visit would take place on Wednesday; aide to Sharon says two leaders might meet then
Jordan’s King Abdullah will visit the West Bank on Monday, the office of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas announced.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia erroneously said earlier in the day that the visit would take place on Wednesday. Qureia apparently confused the similar-sounding Arabic-language words for Wednesday and the 14th, Monday’s date, Palestinian officials said.
An official at the Jordanian palace, speaking on condition of anonymity because the palace doesn’t publish the king’s travel itinerary, confirmed that Abdullah would not visit Ramallah on Wednesday.
The official added that “There’s nothing confirmed for a visit next week” to Israel and the West Bank.
Israel has said Abdullah would travel to Israel next week for memorials to the assassinated Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin. An aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Raanan Gissin, said Tuesday that the two leaders might meet then.
Abdullah postponed a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in October, owing to security concerns, the palace said. Abdullah met with Abbas in Amman last month.
U.S. President George W. Bush had asked the monarch to pay such a visit to help advance peacemaking.
