Jordan’s King Abdullah II shut down the prospect of allowing Palestinian refugees fleeing northern Gaza into his country or Egypt, calling it a “red line” – amid a diplomatic campaign to create a safe zone inside the besieged enclave.
Speaking at a press conference after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Tuesday, Abdullah categorically rejected the idea of offering Gazans free passage to neighboring countries.
“There will be no refugees in Jordan and no refugees in Egypt,” the king declared, adding that the humanitarian situation must be contained within Gaza and the West Bank.
“That’s a red line, because I think it’s a plan by some of the usual suspects to try and create a de facto issue on the ground,” Abdullah added,
He appeared to be referring to Israel’s call for some 1.1 million Gazans to head south, towards the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, ahead of an imminent ground attack.
King Abdullah II of Jordan closed the prospect of allowing Palestinian refugees who fled from northern Gaza to his country or Egypt.REUTERS
Fearing the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees into its country, Egypt has resisted pressure to open the crossing, instead allowing foreigners and Palestinians with dual citizenship to pass through, allowing humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.
As part of international diplomatic efforts to ease the suffering of Palestinians trapped inside Gaza, a bipartisan group of US Congress members has called on Egypt to establish and maintain a safe zone in the southern part of the narrow enclave that is home to more than 2 million people. .
The safe zone, Democrats and Republicans wrote in a letter to Egypt’s ambassador to the US Motaz Zahran cited by Axios, should include “humanitarian access corridors, for civilians seeking refuge from the fighting in the north [Gaza] Strip.”
Abdullah added that the humanitarian situation must be contained within Gaza and the West Bank.AFP via Getty Images
During a whirlwind tour of Arab countries last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke out in favor of creating a “safe zone” in Gaza. He said he is working with UN agencies, Israel and other governments in the region to implement the plan.
“We have urged the Israelis to use every possible precaution to avoid harm to civilians,” Blinken said. “We recognize that many Palestinian families in Gaza are suffering through no fault of their own and that Palestinian civilians have lost their lives.”
Jordan’s king on Tuesday issued a stern warning that allowing the war to spread could have dire consequences for the Middle East.
US Congressmen have called on Egypt to establish and maintain a safe zone in Gaza.AFP via Getty Images
“The whole region is on the verge of falling into the abyss,” said Abdullah. “All our efforts are needed to make sure we don’t get there.”
Scholz, who will travel to Israel later today, also warned against an escalation of hostilities.
“We have the same goal of preventing fires in the region,” the chancellor said. “I once again strongly warn Hezbollah and Iran not to intervene in this conflict.”
Israel has called on some 1.1 million Gazans to head south towards the Rafah border with Egypt ahead of an imminent ground offensive. AFP via Getty Images
Jordan on Wednesday will host a four-party summit in Amman with President Biden and Egyptian and Palestinian leaders to discuss the “dangerous” effects of the war in Gaza for the region, state media said.
The talks will focus on how to stop “the ongoing war in Gaza and how to find a political horizon that will allow the peace process to be revived,” an official statement said.
King Abdullah will also hold separate summits with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
