Biden discusses Middle East tensions with Jordan’s King

WASHINGTON (AA) – US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Jordan’s King Abdullah II on efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including through a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap deal, said the White House.

“The President thanked His Majesty for his friendship and affirmed unwavering US support for Jordan as a partner and ally in promoting regional peace and security,” according to the White House readout of the call.

According to a statement by the Jordanian Royal Court, King Abdullah told Biden that reaching an immediate and permanent cease-fire to end the catastrophe in Gaza is an immediate step that must be fully implemented to safeguard regional security and prevent further war and conflict.

He also warned Biden of “extremist (Israeli) settler violence” against Palestinians as well as unilateral Israeli measures that undermine the prospects of peace and target the historical and legal status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, which may fuel violence in the region, said the statement.

The phone call came after a rare visit by Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to Iran.

Tensions are running high in the Middle East following the July 31 assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, who was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president.

Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination. Tel Aviv has neither confirmed nor denied its responsibility.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Haniyeh’s assassination was “designed and executed” by Israel with US support using a short-range projectile. His bodyguard was also killed in the attack.

The US said it was not aware of or involved in the killing of Haniyeh but stressed that it will defend Israel from attacks and announced Friday that it would deploy additional fighter jets and navy warships to the Middle East.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah is also expected to retaliate after Israel assassinated its senior military commander Fuad Shukr in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on July 30.

The escalation comes amid an ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza which has killed nearly 39,600 Palestinians, most of them children and women.