His Majesty King Abdullah II warned that the Middle East is doomed to destruction unless a peace process leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is achieved.
اضافة اعلان
The King’s remarks came during an exclusive interview with the BBC’s Panorama program, coinciding with the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit in Egypt on U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for the region.
The summit is being held on the same day that Hamas released the last remaining Israeli prisoners held in Gaza, in exchange for Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
King Abdullah II said: “If we do not reach a solution to this problem—if we fail to find a future for both Israelis and Palestinians, and for the relationship between the Arab and Islamic worlds and Israel—then we are doomed.”
According to the report, His Majesty explained that the region has witnessed numerous failed peace attempts, emphasizing that the implementation of the two-state solution—establishing an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel—is the only viable path forward.
“I hope we can get things back on track,” the King said, “but with a political horizon. Because if we don’t solve this issue, we will inevitably return to it again.”
The report noted that Israel has repeatedly rejected the two-state solution, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposing it during his address to the United Nations General Assembly last month.
“In fact,” Netanyahu said in his speech, “they already had a Palestinian state—in Gaza. What did they do with that state? Peace? Coexistence? No. They attacked us time and again, without provocation—firing rockets at our cities, killing our children, and turning Gaza into a terrorist base from which the October 7 massacre was launched.”
Netanyahu pointed out that those Hamas-led attacks two years ago were the spark that ignited the current conflict in Gaza.
At the same General Assembly session, President Trump invited King Abdullah II and several regional leaders to a meeting to present his peace plan.
“The message he gave us all,” the King said, “was: ‘This has to stop. It has to stop now.’ And we told him: ‘Mr. President, if anyone can make that happen, it’s you.’”
Referring to the violence of the past two years—including Israel’s war with Iran and its attack last month on Hamas leaders in Qatar—the King asked, “How close have we come to triggering a regional war—if not between south and north—one that could have dragged the entire world into it?”
Speaking about Netanyahu, the King said he “does not trust a word he says,” according to the report. However, he added that he believes there are Israelis with whom Arab leaders can work to build peace.
Regarding Hamas’ agreement to hand over Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian authority under a ceasefire deal, the King said he had received assurances from countries close to Hamas—Qatar and Egypt—which were optimistic that the group would honor its commitments.
But the King cautioned that “the devil is in the details” of the Trump-brokered deal, stressing that after achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, it would be crucial for the U.S. president to remain engaged in the process.
“In our discussions with President Trump,” the King added, “he understands that this isn’t just about Gaza, or a narrow political horizon—it’s about achieving peace for the entire region. And that will not happen unless the Palestinians have a future.”
When asked whether he believes he will live to see a final peace agreement that includes the establishment of a Palestinian state, the King replied:
“It has to happen, because the alternative would likely mean the end of the region. I remember my father, toward the end of his life, saying: ‘I want peace for my children and grandchildren.’ I have two grandchildren, and they deserve that peace. How painful it would be if they grew up saying the same thing my father said decades ago.”
He added: “And I think that’s what drives me—and many others in the region—to believe that peace is the only option. Because if it doesn’t happen, how many more times will the West, especially America, be drawn into this conflict? It’s been eighty years; I think it’s time we all said: Enough.”
The report acknowledged that history offers little reason for optimism, but noted that the King believes this moment represents a genuine opportunity to achieve peace.
— (Petra)
