Amman: Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi said Monday that Israel’s war on Gaza will have major consequences for “everyone who lives in the Strip.”
He said the month of Ramadan has come, but Israel continues to bomb Gaza, where women cannot find anything to feed their children, and people die and cannot find a place to be buried.
Safadi said in a joint press conference with Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, that “the Israeli aggression on Gaza, which began five months ago, is a violation of all human values, and the world is helpless to stop it,” adding that children in Gaza are dying daily with no food.
“Ramadan is a month of mercy, safety and tranquility, but unfortunately, this is not the reality that 2.3 million in Gaza are living, and they continue to suffer from the brutality of the Israeli aggression,” he said.
Palestinians in Gaza are suffering from starvation, children die of a lack of food and people were
driven out of their homes to live in shelters without basic services or even basic needs for life, he said.
“Palestinians are suffering under a painful reality that we must change. Unfortunately, five months have elapsed in this conflict and the world is unable to implement the international law and international humanitarian law and stand up to reinstate human dignity,” said Safadi.
The Foreign Minister also described the situation in the occupied West Bank as very hard, stressing that Israel’s unilateral measures, including violations of the sanctity of Islamic and Christian holy places and restrictions on worship, would only change the reality on the ground, but not help bring peace or achieve the two-state solution.
He said Israel must lift the restrictions, respect freedom of worship and allow believers to perform their religious rites during the month of Ramadan.
Safadi said tampering with holy sites is playing with fire, urging the Vatican and all countries of the world to do all they can to ensure
that Israel respects the legal and historical status quo in the Holy Lands and the right to worship, and lift all restrictions that prevent people from performing their religious duties in these holy days.
He said Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, has the responsibility for Islamic and Christian holy sites, and is making all possible effort to protect and respect these sanctities and ensure they are not breached.
“We want peace in the region, we want peace for the Palestinians, the Israelis and the whole region, and we want to give the legitimate right to the Palestinians to establish their state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and living side by side in peace and security with Israel,” he said.
He pointed out that the Israeli aggression has gone too far, and must stop, and that there is no way the international community can accept that people die of hunger in this age and at this time.
Safadi also hailed the 30-year partnership and diplomatic relat
ions between Jordan and the Vatican, saying these years were marked by dialogue, cooperation and joint work to deepen the values of peace, justice, and respect for the others.
For his part, the Vatican Foreign Minister said the Middle East saw many challenges and hardships, especially Gaza, stressing that the aggression must end.
He said the Holy See watched with horror the events of October 7 and the events that followed, in addition to tens of thousands of Palestinians, especially women, children and civilians, who lost their lives.
Gallagher stressed that the Pope believes that the aggression should end, as the Vatican seeks and continues to demand a ceasefire, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and exert efforts to solve the conflict, stressing that the Vatican supports the United Nations’ efforts, especially UNRWA, whose role is vital to meet the needs and address humanitarian issues.
“Our position is very clear, and we believe that civilians should not be considered collateral damage in th
is ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas movement. Therefore, it is not permissible to target civilians or institutions that have protection under international law,” he said.
He said the Vatican is committed to working with Jordan and making efforts in these tough circumstances the world is going through, especially the region, to bring peace in Gaza.
He stressed that Jordan is important for several reasons, foremost of which being a country that respects religious freedom and promotes interfaith dialogue, especially between Muslims and Christians, adding the Vatican looks forward to supporting the Kingdom.
“We are happy that the church in Jordan is an active and appreciated partner with regard to religious, cultural and humanitarian affairs, which makes it a great contributor to this country,” he said, commending the Kingdom’s “heroic” role and efforts in the service of refugees over the decades, especially at this time and in the current disputes, including the conflict affecting the Palestinians.
The press conference followed talks on developments in Gaza, the catastrophic repercussions of the ongoing war, efforts to stop it and ensure the protection of civilians and places of worship, and the need for the international community to shoulder its legal and humanitarian responsibilities, and deliver enough and sustained aid to all parts of Gaza.
The meeting also dealt with Israeli curbs on freedom of worship in Jerusalem.
Source: Jordan News Agency