King sends letter to committee on Palestinians’ inalienable rights, says war on Gaza must stop

• His Majesty says values of all religions, shared human values categorically reject slaughter and terrorising of civilians
• King says Palestinian cause remains central cause for Jordan, noting that Jordanians will continue to stand with Palestinians

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah has reiterated that the war on Gaza, which has claimed thousands of innocent lives, including women, children and the elderly, must stop.

In a letter sent to Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People Cheikh Niang to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People which falls on 29 November, King Abdullah said the values of all religions and shared human values categorically reject the slaughter and terrorising of civilians, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty added that the heinous Israeli aggression against Gaza and the illegal violations in the West Bank contradict humanitarian values and the right to life.

In the letter, the King said the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People comes during exceptional circumstances that demand international action to stop the war on Gaza, protect unarmed civilians and hospitals, while also pushing Israel to end the siege and allow the unimpeded work of humanitarian agencies and the delivery of relief and medical aid.

His Majesty said depriving Gazans of water, food, medicine and electricity is a war crime that cannot be ignored, and its continuation will further exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the strip.

The King called for galvanising international support for UNRWA to enable it to undertake its UN mandate in providing vital relief services to the Palestinians, warning that weakening the agency will lead to dire consequences in Gaza and the West Bank.

His Majesty reiterated that the continuation of destruction and attempts to displace the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank is a challenge to international law and will fuel further cycles of violence in the region and beyond.

Peace and stability will not be achieved through military or security solutions, the King reaffirmed, adding that the only way to achieve peace is through a political solution that restores the full and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

His Majesty stressed again Jordan’s rejection of any scenario of reoccupying Gaza or establishing buffer zones, reiterating also the Kingdom’s rejection of attempts to separate Gaza from the West Bank, which must jointly form the Palestinian state.

After over 75 years since the Nakba, the King said the Palestinians remain committed to their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent, sovereign and viable state on the 4 June 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the basis of the two-state solution, which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis, as well as the region.

The King added in the letter that the Palestinian cause remains the central cause for Jordan, noting that Jordanians will continue to stand with the Palestinians as they seek their just, legitimate, and inalienable rights.

Jordan will continue working with the Palestinian Authority to preserve the historical and legal status quo at Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and to safeguard these sites under the Hashemite Custodianship, His Majesty said.

The King also commended the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for its efforts in advocating for the rights of the Palestinians.