The Middle East is bound to witness more disasters if a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can not be secured, Jordanian King Abdullah II told visiting US Congressmen Wednesday.

Abdullah added that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is posing an obstacle to the development and prosperity in the region, reports here said.

The Jordanian king told the US lawmakers that people in Middle East could only feel safer and see a brighter future after peace and stability are materialized in the region.

The monarch also called on the Israelis and Palestinians to implement the "road map" peace plan to facilitate, with the help of the United States and the international community, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state which will peacefully coexist with Israel.

He said this summer's planned Israeli withdrawal from Gaza should go along with a withdrawal from the West Bank, home to more than 200,000 Jewish settlers. Israel plans only to withdraw from four West bank settlements.

Abdullah also briefed the US visitors about the various ongoing reform efforts undertaken by the Jordanian government and expressed his appreciation of the US aid to his government.

Source: Xinhua