ATHENS — If the world does not stand up to the numerous crimes committed by Israel, it too will bear responsibility for these crimes, said Jordan’s king on Tuesday.
Addressing the European Parliament, King Abdullah said: “If the world fails to act decisively, it will be complicit in Israel’s crimes.”
Pointing in particular to the humanitarian disaster and mass deaths in the Gaza Strip, he added: “What is happening in Gaza today defies international law, moral standards, and our common values. And we are witnessing transgression after transgression in the West Bank, with the situation worsening by the day.”
Noting that the formation of an independent Palestinian state through diplomacy, as suggested by numerous UN resolutions, is the only feasible and just solution to the decades-old problem, Abdullah said: “Because my friends, Palestinians, like all people, deserve the right to freedom, sovereignty, and yes, statehood.”
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing over 55,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
Also drawing attention to Israel’s attacks on Iran, Abdullah said the attacks pose a risk to the security and stability of the whole region and hence are a threat to everyone.
Tensions in the Middle East have intensified since Friday, following Israeli airstrikes targeting several locations across Iran, including military and nuclear sites, which triggered retaliatory attacks from Tehran.
Israeli officials reported that Iranian missile strikes have killed at least 24 people and injured hundreds.
Iran stated that the Israeli attacks have resulted in at least 224 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries. — AA
