Macron meets Jordan's king, condemns deadly Jerusalem attack

French President Emmanuel Macron and Jordan's King Abdullah discuss Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Mideast issues.

By REUTERS, JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: JUNE 20, 2017 12:21
France's Macron welcomes King of Jordan in Paris (credit: REUTERS)
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Jordan's King Abdullah in Paris on Monday.
Macron and King Abdullah discussed Israel and the Palestinian territories, and the French president condemned an attack on Friday by three Palestinians who killed an Israeli policewoman as well as "continuing settlement expansion."
On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the Palestinian Authority as well as the whole world to publicly speak out against Friday night's terror attack that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Border Police officer Hadas Malka.
Friday's attacks took place simultaneously in two different scenes. In one scene, two assailants opened fire at policemen in the Old City and attempted to stab them before being shot to death. In the other scene, a third terrorist stabbed border policewoman Malka, who later succumbed to her wounds.
Back in Paris on Monday, King Abdullah called for a "political solution to regional conflict" to prevent sectarian violence and the threat from terrorism.
Jordan is among the few Arab states that have taken part in a US-led air campaign against Islamic State militants holding territory in Syria and Iraq.
Jordan has previously expressed concerns to the American government about Islamic State fighters potentially descending southwards towards its borders, after the US led campaign that aims to drive them out of their current stronghold in Raqqa in northern Syria.
Islamic State fighters are close to defeat in the twin capitals of the group's territory, Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, after nearly three years ruling over millions of people in a wide swathe of territory in both countries.
Meanwhile, Germany plans to move the 280 German soldiers to an airbase in Jordan but has stressed it wants to minimize disruption that move would cause to the US-led coalition operation against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, of which it is part.