King back home after working visit to Italy, US

Amman: His Majesty King Abdullah II arrived back home on Thursday after a working visit to Italy and the United States. His Majesty concluded his visit in Washington, DC, where he met with US President Joe Biden, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, and a number of officials. In Italy, the King met with Pope Francis at the Vatican, Italy President Sergio Mattarella, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The visit covered Jordan's efforts to reach a permanent and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, prevent the Israeli ground offensive on Rafah, and increase humanitarian aid to the Strip without any obstruction or delay. The visit also focused on Jordan's religious and historical role in safeguarding Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under the Hashemite Custodianship, and the need to stop Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as the Israeli violations of holy sites in Jerusalem. Discussions also covered the deep-rooted bilateral ties with Italy and the Unites States and means of bolstering cooperation in various fields. Source: Jordan News Agency