Ten years ago I said, you know, my goal is to be able to get food on the table. What I'm trying to say by that is trying to create a vibrant, capable and effective middle class. The quicker and stronger that we can be able to do this, the easier it is for political reform to move forward.

The Arab Spring I think we will look back whether it's two years, five years, ten or fifteen. And say it's a good thing.

The security and the future of Jordan is hand-in-hand with the future of the Palestinians and the Israelis.

I think the success of democracy is not really police security; it's the presence of a broad middle class. The stronger the middle class of a people is, the less you have to worry about one group coming in and exploiting the democratic process for its own ends.

If you have a government that is elected, they need to do the hard work - because if they don't, they won't be around the next time the ballot box is open.

We have to always hope in humanity that people will make the right choices.

Fifty-seven countries in the world, a third of the United Nations, do not recognize Israel. In a way, I think North Korea has better international relations than Israel.