Jordan's King Abdullah alluded to a possible deterioration in Amman's relationship with Jerusalem if unless Israel will "demonstrate it is willing to make considerable moves" to reignite the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper reported Wednesday.
According to the London-based Arab publication, Abdullah expected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to "make significant concessions which will allow the Palestinian leadership to justify their return to the negotiating table."
The papers sources said that the king has "three aces up his sleeves," which he may choose to use of Israel proves "suborn," including the possible reduction or suspension of the diplomatic ties between Israel and Jordan, while possibly bolstering ties with both the Jordanian Opposition and even Iran.
Thursday will make the Quartet's dealing to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, by which both parties were supposed to present their updated positions on security and the issue of borders.
Chief Israeli and Palestinian negotiators Yitzhak Molcho and Saeb Erekat will meet later Wednesday, in what Palestinian sources said is likely to be the last round of Amman talks.
According to the report, Abdullah has been able to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Jordan should be give a chance to broker the Israeli-Palestinian talks.
According to the Maan news agency, Abbas "Refuses and will continue to refuse to prolong the talks… He sees today's meeting as the last chance to broker an agreement that will allow the preliminary talks to continue and eventually mature into full-fledge negotiations."
Abbas, the sources added, is poised to declare that the Amman talks have failed.
Palestinian sources told Ynet that "the ball is in Israel's court." The PA criticized Israel for "failing to meet the Quartet's basic demands," adding that it does not expect Israel to meet the Palestinian demand for a construction freeze in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Authority will convene its executive committee in Ramallah in the next few days to decide on the PA's next move. The Arab League's Middle East Committee will convene in mid February to review possible diplomatic moves in the matter, the report said.
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