CAIRO, Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Saturday called for an immediate end to the war on Gaza and to protect civilians, describing the relentless bombing campaign as a war crime, a collective punishment of a besieged and helpless people and flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
This came during his speech during the Cairo Summit for Peace, hosted by Egypt as part of efforts to stop the war on Gaza, with the participation of world leaders and heads of Arab and international delegations.
“The bloodshed we are witnessing today is the price of failing to make tangible progress towards a political horizon that brings peace for Palestinians and Israelis alike,” the King said, adding ” this conflict did not start two weeks ago, and it will not stop if we continue down this blood path”.
He said that the deeper the crisis cuts of cruelty, the less the world seems to care, noting “the only path to a safe and secure future for the people of the Middle East and the entire world starts with the belief that every human life is of equal value and it ends with two states, Palestine and Israel, sharing land and peace from the river to the sea”.
The Israeli leadership must realize that there is no military solution to its security concerns and that it cannot continue to sideline the five million Palestinians living under its occupation, and that “a state can never thrive if it is built on the foundations of injustice”, he added.
The King reaffirmed the unequivocal rejection of the forced displacement or internal displacement of Palestinians, describing it as a war crime according to international law, “and a red line for all of us”.
He stressed the need for sustained and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid, fuel, food, and medicine to the Gaza Strip.
The King noted that it has been two weeks since the siege on Gaza amidst international silence and warned that this catastrophe must come to an end, adding “our collective and unified message to the Israeli people should be: We want a future of peace and security for you and for the Palestinians, where your children and Palestinian children should no longer live in fear.” “It is our duty as the international community to do whatever it takes to restart a meaningful political process that can take us to a just and sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution”, he concluded.
On his part, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa stressed in his speech, during the summit, that the suffering of Palestinians underlines the urgent need to contain the crisis, calling for stopping the military escalation and providing protection for civilians on both sides King Hamad said that there will be no stability in the Middle East without securing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and achieving just comprehensive and sustainable peace in the region.
He confirmed Bahrain’s firm position in support of the legitimate rights of Palestinian people to establish their independent sovereign state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the two-state solution and UN resolutions.
Bahrain has made its strategic choice for peace to achieve greater security and stability in its call for the peaceful approach as the only way to settle disputes and provide opportunities for security, development and prosperity for the region, said King Hamad.
He stressed on a continuous diplomatic effort between all regional and international parties to stop the escalation, end military operations, provide protection for innocent civilians on both sides from the repercussions of this war, release all prisoners and hostages, and facilitate the arrival of aid to Gaza Strip in accordance with international law.
He stressed Bahrain’s absolute rejection of displacing the people of Gaza from their land, and renewed support for Egypt’s pivotal role under the leadership of its President Abdulfattah Al-Sisi and its historic contributions to supporting the Palestinian cause and protecting Arab national security. (end) mm.of.mo.seo
Source: Kuwait News Agency
