Jordanian women, rights entities send message of solidarity to Gaza, call for immediate int’l intervention

AMMAN — Jordanian women and human rights entities on Thursday launched a solidarity message with women of Gaza, and called for immediate international action and intervention to halt the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

The call was made during a one-day event entitled "Palestinian Women in the Face of the Aggression on Gaza and organised by the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment (IMCWE), the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) and the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR).

The event was held at the Royal Cultural Centre in Amman.

Minister of Social Development Wafaa Bani Mustafa addressed the gathering stressing the Kingdom’s firm stand with the Palestinian people.

“Everybody in Jordan, government and people, are united in their stand to defend Palestine,” Bani Mustafa stressed.

Bani Mustafa pointed out that 70 per cent of the reported deaths in the Gaza Strip are women and children.

The minister referred to His Majesty King Abdullah’s repeated statements that “Jordan will remain the supporter and closest of the Palestinian brothers and sisters".

“Today, we stand as Jordanian women behind the wise leadership of King Abdullah and the tremendous diplomatic efforts by the government, especially Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Safadi, to stop the war on Gaza,” Bani Mustafa said.

Bani Mustafa also expressed her pride in Her Majesty Queen Rania’s position because “she chose to speak out when many remained silent and chose to confront with all courage and steadfastness to defend the most just cause known to humanity, and to refute all fallacies and biased allegations”.

The minister called on the international community to assume its responsibility and intervene immediately to stop the aggression against Gaza, stressing that “the lives of Palestinians are no less important than the lives of others”.

Also, addressing the gathering was JNCW Secretary General Maha Ali praised the “steadfastness of the struggling Palestinian woman, especially in light of the barbaric attacks and fierce bombing of civilians in their homes, schools, hospitals and churches”.

“The number of women and children is the highest in these attacks, which is a grave violation of international laws and norms and all humanitarian principles,” Ali said.

Chairperson of the NCHR Board of Trustees Samar Al Haj Hassan said that the centre has taken several steps since the attacks that were launched by the Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza Strip on November 7.

“The NCHR held several meetings including one with the Arab Network for Human Rights to implement the necessary action measures,” Haj Hassan said.

The human rights coalition issued a memorandum that was addressed to Arab, regional and international entities regarding the Israeli violations “that are considered war crimes against humanity”, Haj Hassan added. 

Has Hassan added that the NCRH calls for the need for immediate intervention by the international community to ensure the protection of the human rights of Palestinians.

Palestinian Minister of Women's Affairs Amal Hamad praised the Jordanian leadership for its strong and bold stand.

“The Jordanian-Palestinian relationship over the years has carried a similar destiny and future,” Hamad said.

The Palestinian minister stressed that “our people will stay in their land and will never leave it no matter what”.

Hamad called for an immediate cease-fire and to secure a path to allow humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza. 

“The world should stand against what is happening in Gaza and prevent compulsory migration of the Palestinian people,” Hamad stated.

Hamad also called for the right of the Palestinians to establish their own state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Director General of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights Ammar Dwaik told the gathering that Gaza transformed from the largest open prison on earth to the largest global cemetery”.

Dwaik told the gathering that of the over 10,000 deaths, 4,000 are children “and half of them are female children”.

Dwaik warned of the deteriorating health institutions’ status “especially since Israel destroyed 70 medical centres and hospitals”.

“There are around 50,000 Palestinian women who are pregnant and face health hazards because of lack of proper health services and facilities in Gaza,” according to Dwaik.

In addition, Dwaik added that there have been around 1,000 widowed women since the start of the Israeli assault on Gaza in October.

The event also included dialogues involving dignitaries, deputies, and human rights activists, discussing the humanitarian disasters caused by the brutal aggression on Gaza, and the blockade imposed on the region for more than 17 years, according to a press release that was provided by the organisers. 

Participants discussed possible solutions to exert pressure on the occupying government to halt the massacres committed against the people of Gaza, particularly women and children, according to the press release. 

A short video was presented on the international laws blatantly violated by the occupation, in addition to the suffering of women and children in Gaza due to the continuous aggression on the region for about a month. 

At the end of the event, participants signed a declaration of solidarity from Jordanian women with Gazan women, addressed to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to the press release. 

Through the message, they urged the international community to assume its legal responsibilities and take decisive and immediate actions to stop the inhumane and dangerous escalation practiced by the occupation forces in the Gaza Strip, the press release said.

They stressed that justice should not stop when the rights of Palestinians, especially women and girls, are violated; their lives are equally valuable to the lives of Israelis and have the same worth, as stated in the message, the press release added.

The message directed to the international community included calls for urgent action to halt the wars and massacres being committed against civilians in Gaza, and for governments around the world to urgently act to stop the attacks on the Palestinian people in all Palestinian territories, according to the press release.

They called for the protection of civilians, women, and children, and the opening of humanitarian corridors to deliver aid in all its forms, and to stop the forced displacement of Gazans, the press release stated.

In conclusion, the signatories of the message, women from around the world, acknowledged the important role they play in preventing conflicts, resolving them, and building peace, the press release added.

This is in line with the resolution issued by the United Nations Security Council No. 1325, which calls for women to be partners in the call to stop war crimes and violations committed against unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip, including women and children, said the press release. 

Finally, they called on the international community to respond to the appeal and immediately stop the firing end the siege imposed on Gaza, and work to end the causes of conflict escalation and prevent their development, the press release stated.