New York, July 29 (Petra) – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi called for urgent international action to halt the war in Gaza, deliver humanitarian aid, and revive efforts to implement the two-state solution, as he addressed the main session of the United Nations High-Level International Conference on "The Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution".

The conference, held at the UN headquarters in New York, is co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of France.

In his remarks, Safadi stressed that the overwhelming majority of nations agree there is only one path to a just and lasting peace in the region: the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel in accordance with international law and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Safadi said the consequences of failing to implement the two-state solution are unfolding before the world’s eyes in the form of death, destruction, and humanitarian catastrophe, particularly in Gaza. He condemned what he described as the "grave violations of international law and international humanitarian law," and decried the transformation of Gaza into a "graveyard for its people and for our shared human values."

"Mothers in Gaza are watching their children die slowly thirsty, starving, and without medicine," he said. "They are mourning their children while they are still alive."

Safadi also warned of growing violations in the occupied West Bank, citing accelerating settlement expansion, land seizures, and attacks on Muslim and Christian holy sites. These acts, he said, are extinguishing hope for peace and undermining regional and global security alike.

He extended his criticism to Israeli actions in Lebanon and Syria, accusing Tel Aviv of disregarding international law and violating the sovereignty of neighboring states, while the international community seeks to rebuild a free and stable Syria.

Calling the current reality "a test of our collective humanity," Safadi said the situation is eroding the credibility of international law and the UN Charter. He called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and urged the global community to act decisively to prevent the death of more Palestinian children from bombardment, hunger, or thirst.

He voiced support for ongoing Egyptian, Qatari, and U.S. efforts to reach a ceasefire deal and prisoner exchange, and stressed the need for unimpeded humanitarian access through all crossings. While reiterating Jordan’s commitment to delivering aid, he emphasized that air drops are no substitute for land convoys, but added that even a single food parcel delivered by air could save a life and for that, Jordan would continue its efforts by all available means.

He called on the international community to firmly oppose Israeli measures that undermine the two-state solution, including ongoing settlement activity in the West Bank, and to hold Israel accountable for repeated violations of ceasefire agreements in Lebanon and attacks in Syria.

While acknowledging that the conference itself cannot implement the two-state solution, Safadi said it sends an unmistakable message: that the international community views it as the only viable path to peace.

"If anyone has an alternative, let them present it," he said. "The Palestinian people are not going anywhere. Will more than five million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza remain hostage to an occupation that denies them dignity, freedom, and self-determination?"

He questioned whether a one-state solution in which Palestinians enjoy full civil and political rights is even being considered or whether the alternative is institutionalized apartheid. If the two-state solution is abandoned, he warned, the last remaining credibility of international law would collapse, and hopes for peace would vanish.

Safadi criticized the Israeli government for rejecting the conference and doubling down on policies that seek to dismantle the two-state framework. He noted that although Israel claims negotiations are the way forward, it refuses to negotiate, instead passing legislation against Palestinian statehood and continuing to seize land.

"If Israel is ready to negotiate, the Palestinian leadership is ready," he said, calling on the international community to support renewed talks aimed at achieving a just peace based on mutual rights.

He urged the world to take concrete steps to implement the two-state solution and confront those who are actively obstructing it, warning that continued inaction would deny both Palestinians and Israelis the right to live in peace.

Safadi underscored that the Arab Peace Initiative, launched in 2002 and supported by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, remains on the table. It offers full normalization with 57 Arab and Muslim nations in exchange for an end to the occupation and the creation of a Palestinian state.

While acknowledging the political challenges surrounding a two-state solution today, Safadi said preserving its viability is an urgent priority. He welcomed France’s recent pledge to recognize the State of Palestine and urged other nations to do the same as a stand for justice and international law.

"Jordan will continue to stand firmly behind the Palestinian people’s right to life, freedom, and statehood," he said. "We are committed to doing everything we can to help achieve a just peace one that delivers rights, ends the conflict, and brings real, lasting security to the region."

Closing his speech, Safadi declared: "Occupation and peace are opposites. They cannot coexist. Only a just peace will guarantee security for Palestinians and Israelis alike and allow us to build the future of cooperation and stability that we all want."

He thanked Saudi Arabia and France for hosting the conference, calling it "a joint international outcry that enough is enough enough conflict, enough occupation, enough killing and oppression," and reaffirmed that the path to peace lies in the two-state solution and in building a future rooted in justice, hope, and mutual respect.

//Petra// AA


29/07/2025 08:07:32