Safadi: Israeli Occupation undermines two-state solution

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi met today with his Luxembourger counterpart Xavier Bettel. The meeting focused on regional developments, efforts to halt the aggression on Gaza, the protection of civilians, and the delivery of sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to Gaza.

"Today, we continued our discussions on our bilateral relations and the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which continues to claim lives, undermine international law, and commit war crimes against the Palestinian people," Safadi said.

"We want this war to end, and we want peace for the region, ensuring the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state that lives in security and peace alongside Israel," Safadi affirmed Jordan's commitment to peace.

"The only path to peace is the two-state solution, which embodies an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he further stated. “This is the foundation of the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, and this is the position we continue to defend and work towards achieving."

Safadi expressed concerns over the lack of an “Israeli” partner for peace, stating, "The challenge we face is the absence of an Israeli partner for peace, and the current “Israeli government is working to undermine the two-state solution."

He highlighted the urgent need to stop the aggression on Gaza, revealing that more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed. "Just two days ago, Israel committed a massacre against innocent Palestinian children in an area it had declared a safe haven, but everyone knows there is no longer a safe place in Gaza," he added.

Safadi criticized the international community for failing to hold “Israel” accountable, saying, "Israel evades accountability because the international community has failed to enforce international law and humanitarian law, the UN Charter, and human values, and stop the killing of innocents."

Safadi stressed the importance of addressing the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, pointing out that “Israel” does not allow aid to enter or UN organizations to deliver it, using starvation as a weapon. "The victims of this aggression are not only Palestinians but also the credibility of international law," he emphasized.

On the refugee crisis, Safadi remarked, "Refugees pose a global challenge and therefore a global responsibility, not solely that of host countries." 

He underscored the critical role played by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, stating, "UNRWA cannot be dispensed with; it is the only agency with the knowledge, expertise, and capacity to help the starving Palestinians in Gaza and provide hope for Gaza's children."

Bettel appreciated Jordan's role in hosting refugees and providing vital services to them, as well as its broader role in the region. He highlighted the partnership between Jordan and Luxembourg both bilaterally and within the framework of the European Union and expressed a mutual desire to enhance these relations.

Bettel also referenced the 15th meeting of the Jordan-European Union Association Council held yesterday in Brussels, reflecting the depth of the relationship between the EU and Jordan. He stressed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the importance of protecting civilians, affirming the significance of implementing the two-state solution.

In addition to his meeting with Bettel, Safadi met with the Speaker of the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies, Claude Wiseler, and the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Gusty Graas. 

These discussions also covered the relations between the two friendly countries and their mutual keenness to develop them in various fields, both bilaterally and within the framework of the partnership with the European Union.