Jordan's King Receives Patriarch: We Affirm Jordan's Continued Support for Lebanon

King Abdullah II of Jordan received Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi at the Basmaya Palace, in the presence of Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, the King's Office Director Dr. Jaafar Hassan, and the accompanying delegation of Patriarch al-Rahi. The meeting discussed "the fraternal relations that bind Jordan and Lebanon and the two brotherly peoples," according to the Jordanian news agency Petra. King Abdullah reaffirmed "Jordan's position and ongoing support for Lebanon in its efforts to overcome the crises it faces," indicating that "Jordan will continue to exert all efforts to protect the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem based on the Hashemite custodianship." For his part, Patriarch al-Rahi praised "Jordan's positions under the leadership of King Abdullah, which support Lebanon and its people as well as Arab issues," appreciating "the humanitarian and medical aid that Jordan sent directly after the Beirut port explosion about two years ago."