A Strike Against Iran Would be Disastrous: Says Jordan's King Abdullah II

May 18 (EIRNS)--Speaking to the London Times near the ancient Nabatean ruins of Petra, King Abdullah II expressed deep concerns about dire circumstances in the region. He also pointed out that the world is losing its last hope of making peace in the Middle East and could face the real danger that the conflict between Israel and the Arab and Muslim worlds will continue indefinitely. King Abdullah II is hosting a World Economic Forum conference by the Dead Sea today, at which regional leaders will gather to take up the debate.

Insisting that the world leaders must try to create a Palestinian state, he says: "Now people can say this is not the right time. You have an end of an Administration in the United States, you have got changes in Europe (France, Britain). You have a very confused situation in Israeli politics." "But we have a finite amount of time. Physically there may not be a chance for a future Palestinian state, he said. This is why the urgency is now. Is the situation ideal? Far from it. But we have our backs against the wall and I believe that time is running out," the Jordanian King added.

King Abdullah pointed out that creation of a Palestinian state was becoming less likely every day, however, because of the continued construction of Jewish settlements and the security wall in the West Bank. Rather than a state, he said, the Palestinians would be left with "Swiss cheese," a territory riddled with holes.

King Abdullah also made clear that with so many problems in the region, it would be wrong for Washington and its allies to embark on another military action in the region "What we do not need is another crisis, he said. A strike against Iran would be disastrous. You cannot deal with Iran in isolation. Everything is connected. If you hit Iran, it would have a ripple effect on Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere."