RIYADH, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed here Thursday that the Palestine issue is "Arabs' core concern and the main cause of conflict" in the region.

    The king made the remarks in a written speech for the closing session of the 19th Arab summit which opened here Wednesday.

    King Abdullah said in the paper that the Palestine issue has reached a stalemate and the Palestinian people continue to suffer under occupation, highlighting the importance of the Arab peace initiative which was launched by Saudi Arabia and adopted by the 2002 Arab summit in Beirut.

    We have an unprecedented opportunity to regain Arab right and establish the independent Palestinian state in accordance with the Beirut initiative which "constitutes an acceptable formulation for all parties to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict on all tracks", said Abdullah.

    "This requires full commitment to the unity of the Palestinian people and responsible leadership that must seek with all possible means to establish the independent Palestinian state on the basis of the Arab initiative," he urged.

    The king especially called on Israel to work constructively and seriously and demonstrate its respect and commitment to the Arab initiative, while appealing to Washington "to help establish an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian state living side by side with Israel".

    He stressed that the Saudi-proposed initiative shows the Arab world's clear intentions and desire to realize a just and comprehensive peace, calling on the international community, especially Muslim states to affirm their support for the initiative and exert all efforts to help revive the Mideast peace process.