Jordan’s high diplomat says Netanyahu shouldn’t maintain way forward for the area ‘hostage’

Jordan’s deputy prime minister Ayman Safadi blames Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for holding again peace talks within the Center East as its battle with Hezbollah intensifies.

“Our message is that Netanyahu and his radical government should not be allowed to take the future of the region hostage,” he mentioned in an interview with Morning Version’s Leila Fadel.

Safadi and different world leaders are assembly in New York this week for the United Nations Basic Meeting. His diplomatic go to to the U.S. comes as Israel continues its struggle in Gaza and because it carries out lethal airstrikes inside Lebanon’s border.

Well being officers in Lebanon say Israeli airstrikes have killed almost 600 individuals in latest days. Israel’s international minister Israel Katz posted on X “There will be no cease fire in the north. We will continue to fight against the terrorist organization Hezbollah.”

Jordan, a key ally to the US, balances a novel place within the area. The dominion borders each the occupied West Financial institution and Israel. The vast majority of its residents are of Palestinian origin – lots of whom fled or have been expelled throughout the creation of Israel in 1948 and within the wars that adopted. Jordan additionally has a protracted standing peace treaty with Israel and maintains good relations with Lebanon and the US.

Safadi, who additionally serves because the nation’s Minister of Overseas Affairs, spoke to Morning Version about his hopes for Gaza and the area.

This interview has been edited for size and readability. 

Is the momentary cease-fire the Biden administration is searching for between Israel and Hezbollah achievable?

It may very well be if Israel decides to go alongside and cease this absurd killing. What’s on the desk is a proposal for a brief cease-fire, which might enable for diplomacy to take its course. Nonetheless, we have seen the response from each the Israeli prime minister and his international minister, who unequivocally mentioned they’ll proceed with their aggression on Lebanon. And that, after all, could be to the detriment of the entire area as a result of Israel is pushing all of us deeper into the abyss.

Now, Israel blames Hezbollah for beginning the battle on that border. You speak about being pushed deeper into the abyss within the area. What’s getting in the best way of the opposite cease-fire deal, the deal that will cease the violence in Gaza, return the hostages taken from Israel and convey the area again from the brink? 

Netanyahu. Should you discuss to the mediators, they’re going to let you know that on July 2 that they had a deal to which the Israeli mediators had agreed. However after they went again to Israel to get their cupboard approval, they got here again with a whole reversal of commitments that they had made. And clearly, the struggle continued and led to what we have all the time warned it might result in: a regional escalation. We see that unfolding in Lebanon now, and our eyes are on the West Financial institution, the place the potential of explosion is getting greater by the day because of Israeli actions there as nicely.

Does Hamas have any blame to share within the obstacle to the cease-fire deal?

I imply, clearly, I am not saying that Hamas will not be accountable additionally for the place we’re. However I am saying we had a deal, Hamas had agreed to it, and Netanyahu reversed the commitments made by his negotiators.

You talked concerning the West Financial institution. Jordan borders the West Financial institution, the place settler violence is on the rise and a whole bunch of Palestinians have been killed, hundreds displaced. Are you involved about the potential of mass displacement from the West Financial institution into Jordan? And what’s your nation doing?

Look, every thing we have been watching over the previous few months and earlier than indicated that Israel is systematically attempting to create circumstances that will push Palestinians out of the West Financial institution. To us, we mentioned this can be a crimson line. We are going to by no means enable the displacement of Palestinians into Jordan. Really, on the UN a few days in the past, His Majesty in his deal with to the Basic Meeting, made it unequivocally clear: Jordan won’t ever be the homeland for Palestinians. Palestinians belong in Palestine, Jordan is for the Jordanians and can do no matter we are able to to stop that.

Would Jordan be keen to take Gaza struggle refugees?

No, as a result of Gazans have to remain within the nation. We’ve shouldered the brunt of refugees earlier than. We all know that those that have left won’t ever return. Jordan is the biggest per capita host of refugees anyplace on this planet. We’re not speaking a few momentary displacement right here. We all know from what we have seen up to now and from what Israel is doing, that Israel is making Gaza unlivable and inhabitable. And subsequently it has a coverage of emptying Gaza of its individuals. And we merely won’t enable that to occur as a result of that may solely put the area on a course in direction of extra destruction and future wars.

Jordan’s King Abdullah criticized the United Nations when he addressed the Basic Meeting. And you’ve got urged the Safety Council to cease the struggle. What actions do you need to see?

Had the Safety Council acted in accordance with its mandate when the aggression in Gaza began, we might not be at this very harmful second proper now. What we’re asking for is unequivocal decision by the Safety Council below Chapter Seven, urging each events to finish the struggle and begin an irreversible path in direction of a peace that may carry safety and security for each Israelis and Palestinians. Battle won’t obtain that. Israel won’t have safety except Palestinians have safety. Jordan is a peacemaker. We have had a peace treaty for over 30 years. So once we converse, we converse with the credibility of peacemakers. The 2 state resolution, which the entire world agrees on, together with the US, is the trail to a peace below which Israel will stay, safe, accepted, normalized throughout the area. And Palestinians would have a lifetime of dignity, freedom and may have their proper to statehood fulfilled.

This Israeli authorities has violated worldwide regulation, has killed humanitarian employees, killed extra journalists than any struggle in latest historical past, killed extra U.N. workers than any struggle in latest historical past. And but it had confronted no penalties. And what we’re saying to our pals and allies right here within the states and elsewhere is that you simply’re not supporting Israel by supporting this Israeli authorities. What this Israeli authorities is doing is detrimental to the way forward for Israelis as a result of the quantity of hatred and dehumanization which have come out of this struggle will take generations to beat and can take a significant leap in direction of peace. So this authorities is hurting Israel, is hurting the area, is killing Palestinians, is placing the area on a really, very harmful path in direction of whole regional struggle.

And what’s your message to U.S. policymakers at this second? I imply, diplomatic efforts have to date failed, and the cease-fire on the desk for Lebanon and Israel can be being rejected at this second. What would you like the position of the U.S. to be on this second?

Look, our message is that Netanyahu and his radical authorities shouldn’t be allowed to take the way forward for the area hostage. They shouldn’t be allowed to doom his individuals and Israel to struggle. So principally, we wish penalties, we wish implementation of worldwide regulation, and we wish motion that may cease this struggle and put us all on a path in direction of peace that may, once more, present safety and security to each Palestinians and Israelis in the entire area.

What blame is there to share with Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas? 

Battle creates extra struggle. Violence breeds extra violence. What we’re saying is let’s cease. All may have a accountability to cease this preventing. And if there’s a cease-fire and if there’s an finish of this struggle, then belief me, all of us will go on towards everyone and anyone who needs to pull the area again to struggle and battle. As a result of everyone is paying a value and no one advantages from escalation. So we wish de-escalation, we wish peace. However we now have not seen but any proposal on the desk that may produce that. So we’re victims of this vicious cycle of violence and counter-violence.