(JNS) Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid met with Jordanian King Abdullah II on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Lapid expressed the need for “calming the situation on the ground and halting terrorism” ahead of the upcoming Jewish High Holidays, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
“Prime Minister Lapid emphasized that Israel will not stand idly by and will fight terrorism directed against it in all its forms, and will not allow harm to the security of its citizens,” said the statement.
The statement called the meeting an “expression of the tightening of Israel-Jordan relations,” and “the continued strengthening of the personal connection” between the two leaders.
Lapid and Abdullah also discussed ways to advance economic-civilian cooperation between the neighboring countries.
This is the second meeting of the heads of state, following a trip by Lapid to Abdullah’s palace in Amman back in July.
Lapid also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.N. Secretary General António Guterres while in New York.
During the first meeting between an Israeli premier and the Turkish president since 2008, Lapid hailed the recent restoration of full bilateral ties between Jerusalem and Ankara, and noted this week’s appointment of Irit Lillian as ambassador to Turkey.
The two leaders discussed the fight against terrorism in Israel and elsewhere, with Lapid thanking Erdoğan for the intelligence cooperation that helped thwart several Iranian attempts this summer to carry out attacks against Israelis on Turkish soil.
They also discussed economic and energy cooperation, with Lapid saying that the renewal of Israeli flights to Turkey would greatly contribute to strengthening tourism between the nations.
Lapid also raised the importance of securing the release of Israeli captives being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
During his subsequent meeting with Guterres, Lapid called on the U.N. chief to rectify the discriminatory treatment of Israel at the international body.
