In a Downing Street readout published on GOV.UK on 1 August 2026, the Prime Minister's call with King Abdullah II of Jordan was presented first as a bilateral relationship of strategic weight rather than a routine diplomatic contact. The statement said the Prime Minister opened by stressing how much the UK values its friendship with Jordan, describing the relationship as both unique and vital. It pointed in particular to defence, security and expanding economic ties, setting a clear official line that Jordan remains a priority partner across several areas of policy.
That framing matters because it places the conversation on the Middle East conflict within an established UK-Jordan policy relationship. According to Downing Street, the Prime Minister then turned to de-escalation and said the UK would continue to support Jordan in its self-defence. In practical terms, that keeps British messaging aligned with Jordan's role as a close regional security partner while also indicating that London sees the Kingdom's stability as part of its wider regional interest.
The readout then moved to Gaza and the West Bank, which Downing Street said were both discussed during the call. The statement described the situation there as appalling. For foreign policy observers, the wording is notable because it does not treat Gaza in isolation. Instead, the official account places the humanitarian and security concerns in Gaza alongside the deteriorating position in the West Bank within the same leader-level exchange.
The strongest operational point in the statement concerns attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Downing Street said the Prime Minister condemned those attacks and would look at what further measures could be taken to deter what he called unacceptable violence. The government communication does not set out what form those measures might take. Even so, the language is more than a general expression of concern, because it links condemnation to the possibility of additional UK action.
For Jordan, the call reflects its dual place in British policy: a security partner on one hand and an important regional interlocutor on the other. By combining discussion of bilateral ties, de-escalation and West Bank violence in a single short readout, Downing Street signalled that London is treating Jordan as a state it expects to remain central to ongoing diplomatic contact on the conflict. The inclusion of economic ties alongside defence and security also suggests that the UK wants the relationship to be read as broad and durable rather than narrowly crisis-driven.
The readout closed on a more personal diplomatic note, with the Prime Minister saying he looked forward to building a personal friendship with King Abdullah II. In official communications, that kind of line is standard, but it still serves a purpose. It indicates an effort to maintain direct leader-level contact at a time when rapid communication between partners can shape how wider government-to-government engagement develops across security and foreign policy channels.
Taken together, the GOV.UK statement leaves a concise but clear policy message. The UK is publicly reaffirming Jordan's value as a partner, backing de-escalation while continuing support for Jordanian self-defence, and sharpening its language on West Bank settler attacks by raising the prospect of further deterrent steps. The immediate point for ministers, Parliament and policy professionals to watch after 1 August 2026 is whether Downing Street or the Foreign Office gives substantive detail to that reference to further measures.