Queen Rania Asserts That Supporting Palestinians Is Not Equivalent to Antisemitism
Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan urges for a ceasefire in Israel's conflict with Hamas, emphasizing that advocating for the safety of Palestinian lives should not be mistaken for antisemitism or endorsing terrorism
Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan has urged for a cessation of hostilities in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, emphasizing that advocating for the safety of Palestinian lives does not imply any form of anti-Semitism or support for terrorism. "I want to express unequivocally that supporting the Palestinian cause does not equate to being anti-Semitic or endorsing Hamas or terrorism," Rania emphasized during her interview with CNN's Becky Anderson on Sunday.
The use of antisemitism as a tool to suppress criticism of Israel has become apparent in recent times, she stated. It is crucial to unequivocally condemn both antisemitism and Islamophobia. However, it is important to acknowledge that Israel does not speak for all Jewish individuals worldwide. As a separate entity, Israel bears sole responsibility for its own actions.
Queen of Jordan, Rania Al-Abdullah, speaks during the Web Summit, Europe's largest technology conference, in Lisbon, Portugal, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
Pedro Nunes/Reuters
Israel declared a "complete siege" on Gaza following the October 7 terror attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the coastal enclave.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) count, Hamas is responsible for the deaths of over 1,400 individuals, primarily innocent civilians, and the capture of around 240 hostages.
The Israeli siege and subsequent bombardment have subjected the Gaza Strip to continuous airstrikes and a restriction on essential resources, affecting the lives of 2.2 million individuals residing in this isolated region. The Palestinian Minister of Health in Ramallah, citing data sourced from the Hamas-controlled enclave, reports that over 9,700 individuals have lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes as of Sunday.
Arab leaders, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urged for an urgent ceasefire during a summit on Saturday. However, Blinken reiterated the US stance that a ceasefire could potentially provide Hamas with an opportunity to reassemble and launch another attack on Israel.
In efforts to facilitate aid delivery, the US is advocating for "humanitarian pauses" in the ongoing conflict. Nevertheless, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, stated on Sunday that there is no requirement for a pause as there is no existing humanitarian crisis.
Queen Rania condemned the notion that a ceasefire would facilitate Hamas attacks, stating that such claims amount to support of civilian casualties. She emphasized that those who oppose the ceasefire are effectively disregarding and condoning the loss of innocent lives, which she deemed morally unacceptable.
Avalanche of human suffering
In its effort to escalate its air and ground attacks throughout the strip, Israel has persistently called on Palestinian civilians to relocate south of Wadi Gaza, the dividing waterway between the north and south regions.
Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, stated on CBS's Face the Nation that Israel is exerting every possible effort to ensure the safety of Gaza's civilian population and move them away from danger. Additionally, he pointed out that Hamas is deliberately preventing them from being kept safe.
Rania dismissed Israel's claim of safeguarding civilians as "an affront to common sense."
"Requiring 1.1 million individuals to evacuate their homes or face certain death does not constitute the protection of civilians, but rather coerced displacement," she asserted.
Rania said she didnt believe Israels evacuation orders were for the benefit of Gaza, but rather an attempt to "legitimize their actions."
Caption: An elderly Palestinian woman, displaced from her home, observes her grandchildren as they stand beside her in the Japanese neighborhood of Khan Yunis city on October 29, 2023. (Photo credit: Loay Ayyoub for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
In Gaza, being a mother is a matter of life and death
Last week, US President Joe Biden expressed skepticism over the death figures provided by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
When asked about the stance, Rania dismissed it as typical "Israeli propaganda." She criticized the deliberate attempt to downplay the severe impacts of their actions and to further dehumanize Palestinians, aiming to desensitize people to their suffering. According to her, this is an effort by Israelis to absolve themselves and the viewers of any responsibility.
According to the United Nations agency UNRWA, there are over two million Palestinian refugees currently residing in Jordan. On Sunday, King Abdullah II announced through his social media that Jordan had air-dropped a medical aid package to a Jordanian field hospital in Gaza. Additionally, in response to the ongoing conflict, Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel last week.
Queen Rania raised the poignant question of how many more lives must be lost before our collective global consciousness is stirred from its slumber.
"What they demand is merely apologies from Palestinians. They attribute the bombings to your own actions, as if it is your fault," she asserted. "They attribute your starvation to your own doing. They even hold you responsible for being born in the occupied territories... It has been distressing to witness the overwhelming cascade of human anguish."
