Arab forces will not go to Gaza, says Jordanian minister in rebuke of Israel
The Guardian
Ayman Safadi says credibility of international law at stake as he clashes with senior US official over terms for humanitarian pause.
Jordan’s foreign minister has said Arab troops will not go to Gaza as he delivered a blistering criticism of Israel’s war on Hamas. (...)
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Safadi speaking at the IISS Manama Dialogue summit in Bahrain on Saturday. Photograph: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters.
Safadi, in a no-holds-barred attack on Israel and the cover being provided by the US, said faith in peaceful negotiation and international law was being destroyed by the west’s refusal to rein in Israel.
The credibility of international law had fallen victim to its selective application, he said. “If any other country in the world did a fragment of what Israel did, it would have sanctions imposed on it from every corner of the world.” (...)
He said: “International law has to apply to all. The message seems to be that Israel can do whatever it wants. That is what the world is seeing, [that] Israel is above the law.” (...)
Safadi urged Hamas to release the hostages, but said no preconditions should be set for a humanitarian pause, arguing that 2.4 million Palestinians were being held hostage by Israel in Gaza.
He refused to join the calls to liken Hamas to Islamic State. “Hamas did not create the conflict. The conflict created Hamas,” he said, adding: “You cannot bomb an idea out of existence. (...)
He said Jordan would do “whatever it takes to stop” the displacement of Palestinians. “We will never allow that to happen; in addition to it being a war crime, it would be a direct threat to our national security. (...)
“Denial of food, medicine and fuel to Gazans is a war crime and we have to call it out.” (...)
Tags: #israel #palestine #palestinians #occupied_territories #gaza #gaza_strip #west_bank #terrorism #war_crimes #international_law #hamas #illegal_settlements #human_rights #hypocrisy #double_standard #bds
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