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© Reuters. Smoke rises over Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, as seen from Israel, January 19, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
By Marc Jones
JORDAN’S PRIME MINISTER CALLS ON US TO STEP UP AND END GAZA CRISIS
LONDON (Reuters) – Urgent action is needed from the United States and other top powers to use their influence with Israel to put an end to the ongoing “carnage” in Gaza, according to Jordan’s Prime Minister, Bisher al Khasawaneh.
With Jordan sharing a border with the occupied West Bank, Khasawaneh has strongly criticized Israel’s bombardments of Gaza, arguing that they “ticked all the boxes of war crimes against humanity.”
Israel, however, has denied these allegations of war crimes.
Khasawaneh stressed that international diplomacy and influence were crucial to secure a ceasefire.
“Leadership is needed from our American friends and our American partners, and from various capitals in the world, that can influence the decision making process in Israel in genuine terms to bring this carnage to an end,” the Jordanian prime minister stated at an event at the London School of Economics.
He also highlighted the clear concerns of public opinion in the West regarding the violence and the pressure put on the international rules-based system around issues such as providing aid to the devastated parts of Gaza.
“The main powers are under not only just a morale responsibility but also an obligation in the context of preserving the rules-based international system to come and tell the current Israeli government that this needs to stop,” he emphasized.
Khasawaneh expressed hope that this would lead to a resolution of the cycle of violence and killing, but mentioned that he was met with loud protests by LSE students and Arab diaspora as he arrived at the event.
At odds with its biggest backer, the United States, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition government largely reject the establishment of a Palestinian state. In contrast, Washington maintains that the two-state solution is the only way to bring lasting peace to the region.
Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, took a rough agreement to Israel during his fourth trip to the Middle East last week since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. The agreement encompassed rehabilitative efforts for Gaza with the help of its predominately Muslim neighbors, as well as continued economic integration with Israel. However, this was subject to Israel committing to eventually allowing the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
The latest episode of hostilities in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict began when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages. Israel reports that more than 130 remain in captivity.
In response, Israel laid siege to Hamas, bombarding and invading Gaza, causing devastation and over 24,000 deaths, according to Gaza health officials.
U.S.-brokered talks on a Palestinian state in territory now occupied by Israel collapsed almost a decade ago.