Jordan's king urges end to Palestinian infighting

By Wafa Amr

AQABA, Jordan (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah on Thursday warned Palestinians their factional fighting could trigger an escalation of violence that could last for years.

The king's message was conveyed to Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian peace activists, during the latest in a series of meetings this month to garner support from "voices of moderation" in the region for an Arab peace plan.

"The violence must stop for the sake of the Palestinian people and for the sake of Palestine. By letting events drift we will be looking at years of more violence and destruction," he told the group of over 200 activists.

More than 40 Palestinians have been killed since Friday in the latest round of factional violence, the most serious since the two groups formed a unity government two months ago.

Pro-Western Jordan is spearheading an Arab campaign to get Israel to accept the plan that offers it normal ties with all Arab states in return for a full withdrawal from the lands it seized in the 1967 Middle East war, creation of a Palestinian state and a "just solution" for the Palestinian refugees.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said he sees positive points in the Saudi led peace initiative.

But Israel opposes the return of Palestinian refugees to their former homes in what is now the Jewish state and wants to hold on to major settlement blocs in the occupied West Bank.