His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday received German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen at Al Husseiniya Palace and discussed bilateral relations, especially in military- and security-related areas.

At the meeting, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, King Abdullah thanked Germany for providing support for Jordan to enable it to implement development programmes and to cope with the burden brought on by regional crises.

Discussions also covered the latest regional developments, particularly those related to the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem.

His Majesty affirmed that the issue of Jerusalem must be settled within the framework of a comprehensive solution that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The King stressed that Jerusalem must be a unifying—not a divisive—city, noting that it is the key to achieving peace and resolving conflicts and political crises in the Middle East.

His Majesty said the international community must shoulder its responsibility in supporting the Palestinians, affirming the importance of also working with the US administration to arrive at a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.

The meeting, which continued over a luncheon attended by members of the Bundestag, also covered the fight against terrorism, with the two sides reaffirming the importance of stepping up cooperation and coordination among regional and international stakeholders within a holistic strategy to counter this threat to regional and global security and stability.

For her part, the German minister expressed her country’s appreciation of Jordan’s role, led by the King, in following prudent policies on regional issues.

She affirmed Germany’s trust in Jordan and its readiness to provide support for and cooperate with the Kingdom in various areas.

The minister said her country seeks to play a more active role in the region, noting that the refugee crisis has shown how Europe can be affected by what happens in Africa and the region.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and the accompanying German delegation attended the meeting.