United States – King Abdullah II of Jordan confirmed on Tuesday that Israel’s control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and its closure to the entry of aid “will exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.”
This came during a meeting in the US Congress, as part of an unannounced visit to the United States, according to a statement from the Royal Court, a copy of which Anatolia received.
Last Wednesday, the King of Jordan began a foreign tour of unannounced duration, which included Italy, and from there to the United States.
The statement stated that the King stressed “the necessity of preventing the Israeli ground military operation on Rafah, which shelters regarding 1.5 million Gazans who were displaced there as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Strip.”
He pointed out during two meetings in the US Congress that “Israel’s control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and closing it to the entry of aid will exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.”
Although the faction movement announced, on Monday evening, its acceptance of the Egyptian-Qatari proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army announced, on Tuesday morning, “operational control” of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, which connects the Gaza Strip to Egypt, following a military operation it began east of Rafah.
With Israel taking control of the Rafah crossing, the main corridor for humanitarian aid, it was closed in both directions, which threatens to worsen the disaster, especially since food stocks in Gaza only cover one to four days, according to the United Nations.
The statement stressed “the Kingdom’s condemnation of the attack on a Jordanian aid convoy that was heading to Gaza through the Beit Hanoun crossing by extremist Israeli settlers.”
He called on the international community to “take a clear position requiring Israel to abide by the rules of international law and international humanitarian law, secure the passage of aid convoys, and ensure their entry into the Gaza Strip through various crossings.”
On Tuesday, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held Israel “fully responsible” for a settler attack on a Jordanian aid convoy that was on its way to the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to enter Gaza.
While Al-Safadi did not specify the date of the attack on the convoy, activists on social media reported that it occurred on Monday evening.
The statement reaffirmed “Jordan’s position rejecting any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, and attempts to separate them as an extension of the one Palestinian state,” according to the same statement.
He warned that “the hostile actions committed by extremist settlers once morest the Palestinians, and the violations once morest the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem, will lead to the situation in the West Bank getting out of control and the situation in the region exploding.”
During two separate meetings with the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, and with the Democratic Majority Leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, and the heads of the House committees, the King of Jordan reaffirmed “the need for the international community to act urgently to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and protect civilians.” .
He also stressed “the need to stop escalation to avoid the expansion of the conflict in the region.”
He stressed the importance of continuing to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), “as it is a lifeline for regarding 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, in addition to providing basic services to millions of Palestinian refugees in its places of work.”
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a war on Gaza, leaving regarding 113,000 dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and regarding 10,000 missing amid massive destruction and famine that claimed the lives of children and the elderly.
Israel continues the war despite the issuance of a resolution by the UN Security Council to stop the fighting immediately, and also despite the International Court of Justice demanding immediate measures to prevent acts of “genocide” and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Anatolia
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2024-05-08 10:54:45
