King in Washington Post op-ed: Two state solution would be victory for our common humanity

• His Majesty says leaders everywhere have the responsibility to face full reality of this crisis, as ugly as it is
• ‘If the status quo continues, the days ahead will be driven by an ongoing war of narratives over who is entitled to hate more and kill more'
• ‘Are there any realistic alternatives to a two-state solution? It is hard to imagine any’

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah penned an op-ed for the Washington Post, published on Tuesday on the war on Gaza.

King Abdullah wrote that thousands of civilians have been killed in the ongoing war, noting that “thousands of children lie dead in the rubble of Gaza’s destroyed houses, schools, and hospitals”, according to a Royal Court statement.

“In the name of our common humanity, how can such brutal acts and murders be accepted?” His Majesty asked, stressing that “today’s human suffering and global tensions urge us to adhere to the norms of humanity before we reach a moral breaking point for all”.

The King said leaders everywhere have the responsibility to face the full reality of this crisis, as ugly as it is.

Gazan families being bombed out of their homes are victims of collective punishment, with no place to take shelter; no hospital, no school, and no UN building is safe any longer, His Majesty wrote.

“And make no mistake, Gazans will not abandon their homes because a leaflet or a text message tells them to do so. They know that leaving means losing hope, dignity, and the chance to go back to their land: they’ve seen it happen to waves and waves of their fellow Palestinians and to their ancestors throughout the past seven decades of this conflict,” the King added.

His Majesty said that an Israeli leadership that is unwilling to take the path of peace on the basis of the two-state solution will not be able to provide its people the security they need.

Israelis cannot continue their lives as usual, expecting security solutions alone to ensure their safety, while Palestinians live in misery and injustice, the King noted, stressing that “with no political horizon, the promise of a peaceful future will evade both Israelis and Palestinians”.

His Majesty called for “recognising our duty to not only enforce humanitarian intervention and put an end to this atrocious war, but also to admit that the current path is not a path to victory for anyone”.

The King warned that “if the status quo continues, the days ahead will be driven by an ongoing war of narratives over who is entitled to hate more and kill more”.

“Sinister political agendas and ideologies will attempt to exploit religion. Extremism, vengeance and persecution will deepen, not only in the region but around the world,” His Majesty added.

The King wrote that a concerted international effort to develop a regional architecture of peace, security and prosperity, built on a Palestinian-Israeli peace based on the two-state solution, is a priority.

“Are there any realistic alternatives to a two-state solution? It is hard to imagine any,” His Majesty added, noting, “A one-state solution would force Israel’s identity to accommodate competing national identities. A no-state solution would deny Palestinian rights and dignity.”

The King stressed that it is up to responsible leaders to deliver results, starting now, acknowledging that the work will not be easy, but stressing that it is imperative.

“There is no victory in the carnage that has been unfolding. No one will prevail unless the Palestinians are given their rights and their state. Only this will be a true victory for peace, for Palestinians and for Israelis alike. And that, more than anything, would be a victory for our common humanity,” His Majesty concluded.