Palestinian displacement a red line for Jordan — FM

AMMAN — Every effort is being made to stop the war against the Gazans, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Wednesday. 

Jordan cannot remain silent about these developments and “the world must hear our clear stance on several critical issues”, Safadi said while addressing an emergency session of the Lower House. 

Referring to the efforts led by His Majesty King Abdullah, he said that there is no justification for this war. 

It is a war crime under international  and the humanitarian laws and the Geneva Conventions, including their Additional Protocols. It is a collective punishment strongly rejected by international law and by Jordan, he said.

“Palestinian displacement is a red line for Jordan,” he said, stressing that Jordan will use all available capabilities to confront any attempts at displacement. 

Such actions are not only a violation of international law, but also of the 1977 Geneva Convention, which considers the forcible transfer of citizens to be a war crime, he said, adding “Gaza is an occupied territory under international law. 

He also stressed that this war is causing nothing but destruction and catastrophe. There is no justification for the loss of thousands of Palestinian lives, as the number of casualties and civilian victims has already surpassed that of the 50-day war in Gaza in 2014, he said.

He recalled His Majesty King Abdullah's address to the United Nations, in which the King stressed that ignoring the Palestinian cause and attempting to sideline it will lead to an explosion that everyone has worked to prevent. 

Safadi said that if the Palestinian cause is not resolved on terms that uphold the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, violence and conflict will continue to escalate.

Peace, security and stability in the region can only be achieved through the recognition of the full rights of the Palestinian people, he stressed.

International law should be applied consistently, without selective criteria based on nationality, identity or religion, he added.

Palestinians are as human as Israelis, and Palestinians are as human as Ukrainians, he said, stressing that the same principles of international law that have been used to address the Ukrainian crisis should be applied to the Palestinian cause and the challenges faced by the Palestinians. He also expressed rejection for double standards.

The foreign minister called for a clear and firm international stance against the war, warning that failure to do so could lead to a growing perception among people that this war is between Arabs, Muslims, Christians and the Western world.

 “We are currently facing one of the most challenging situations, and all signs indicate that the ongoing war may lead to an even graver scenario than what we are witnessing now. There is now talk of a potential ground assault, and if such an action takes place, the catastrophe will escalate," he said.

He emphasized that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, continues to make efforts to avert the worst outcome.

Our demands include an immediate end for the war, along with the immediate facilitation of humanitarian, food, and medical assistance into Gaza, he said, wondering  that why suspending humanitarian aid to Ukraine is considered a war crime, while, when it concerns Palestine, it appears not to be.

He cautioned against the potential for the war to expand, saying: "If the conflict broadens its scope and extends to other regions, we will all be confronted with a regional war that no one will be able to prevent."

He asserted that Jordan’s stance is unified, with no distinctions between official and public positions.