Abbas and Abdullah sign deal to 'defend' Jerusalem and its sacred sites

His Majesty King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday held talks on efforts underway to restore momentum in the Palestinian-Israeli peace efforts despite rapid developments in the region.

During the meeting, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein and senior officials on both sides, the King reiterated Jordan's stand by the "brotherly" Palestinian people in their quest to fulfill their rights, foremost of which is the setting up of an independent state on national Palestinian soil based on the two-state solution and international legitimacy resolutions.

The meeting tackled developments in the Middle East, particularly those related to the Palestinian cause after U.S. President Barack Obama's trip to the region, and steps needed to stand up to Israel's policies that block any progress in the peace efforts to achieve an independent and viable Palestinian state on June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Abbas was greeted by a guard of honour as he arrived for the meeting at the Royal offices in Hummar.

The Palestinian leader told reporters that the talks dealt with a variety of issues, among them Obama's visit to Jordan, Palestine and Israel and the outcome of the trip. He said defending Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque also figured high on the discussions, noting the King's key role in that respect.

"We discussed with His Majesty a forthcoming royal trip to the United States to discuss the same topics," he said, adding that today's meeting also focused on full coordination on various political and economic matters.

Abbas said an agreement he signed today with His Majesty for defending and preserving Al Aqsa is a reassertion of a role that had been standing for decades.

"It is a reassertion of the longstanding bond since the reign of His Majesty the late King Hussein Ibn Talal,"he added.