STORY: Jordanian king calls for int'l action to stop Gaza escalation
DATELINE: Oct. 12, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:57
LOCATION: Amman
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the opening ceremony of the parliament
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): ABDULLAH II, King of Jordan

STORYLINE:

Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday stressed the need for the international community to end the escalation in the Gaza Strip during phone calls with several foreign leaders, according to a statement released by the Royal Hashemite Court.

In separate phone calls with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, British King Charles III, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Jordanian king urged the international community to protect civilians.

While warning against the ramifications of the recent developments in the Gaza Strip on the region and the world, King Abdullah called for international efforts to protect the region from the repercussions of a new cycle of violence.

He also underlined the importance of enabling international organizations operating in Gaza to undertake their humanitarian duties and continue relief services for innocent civilians.

Also Wednesday, the Jordanian king emphasized that there is neither security nor stability in the region without a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.

He made the remarks during his speech inaugurating the third ordinary session of Jordan's 19th parliament on Wednesday.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic): ABDULLAH II, King of Jordan
"The dangerous escalation and acts of violence and aggression currently taking place in the Palestinian territories are proof that confirms, once again, that our region will never be secure nor stable without achieving just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, in order for the Palestinian people to gain their independent and sovereign state on the June 4th, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and so that the cycles of killing whose ultimate victims are innocent civilians end. For there can be no security, no peace, and no stability without a just and comprehensive peace, to which the only way can be through the two-state solution. Our compass will always point to Palestine, with Jerusalem in its heart, and we will never falter in defending its interests and just cause, until the brotherly Palestinian people regain their legitimate rights in full, in order for our region and all our peoples to enjoy peace, which is a right and a necessity for us all."

The king's remarks came as the conflict between Israel and Gaza's ruling militia Hamas entered its fifth day.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Amman.
(XHTV)