Prime minister briefs lawmakers on efforts to end war on Gaza, criticises 'international silence' on Israeli crimes

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh briefed lawmakers on Monday about efforts led by His Majesty King Abdullah to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and ensure the delivery of relief assistance into the war-torn strip.

 During a meeting with speaker of the Lower House, members and heads of parliamentary committees and blocs, Khasawneh condemned the Israeli attacks on Gaza and also the international "silence" over its violations and atrocities against the Palestinian people, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

He also underlined that the government, Parliament, political parties and civil society organisation are all united and working collectively in support of the King's efforts  in bringing an end to Israeli war on Gaza.

Underlying the need for an "uninterrupted" delivery of relief aid into Gaza, the premier noted that no less than 500 trucks of life-saving assistance have to enter the besieged strip daily to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and address the large-scale suffering of the Palestinian people. 

Reiterating Jordan's endless support to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, Khasawneh said that the government has allocated JD 3 million to support UNRWA and dispatched 30,000 tonnes of wheat and 15,000 tonnes of cereals to Gaza.

He also said that three aircrafts and many trucks have carried relief assistance to Egypt's Al Ariesh Airport to be dispatched to Gaza, expressing readiness to receive patients from Gaza for medication in Jordan. 

The premier emphasized support to Jordanians' right to freedom of expression and said that the government is committed to preventing any attempt by a "small group to incite discord and shift the focus away from the Israeli aggression and crimes in Gaza". 

He also thanked the security forces for their "civilised" efforts in handling demonstrations in the country, and also the army for providing medical assistance to the Jordanian field hospital in Gaza, which has been operative in the Strip since 2009.

The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army said on Monday that a Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft air-dropped urgent medical aid via parachutes to Jordanian field hospital in Gaza. 

The prime minister also commended His Majesty's role in changing international attitudes and public opinion on the war on Gaza, leading to calls for an immediate halt to the aggression.

"The Israeli aggression will not succeed in bypassing all legitimate Palestinian rights, especially the establishment of an independent state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the basis of the two-state solution," he said.