WASHINGTON, November 15. /TASS/. There can be no winners in the current conflict between Israel and Hamas unless a Palestinian state is established, King Abdullah II of Jordan said in his article for The Washington Post.
"No one will prevail unless the Palestinians are given their rights and their state. Only this will be a true victory for peace, for Palestinians and for Israelis alike. And that, more than anything, would be a victory for our common humanity," the monarch said.
"Are there any realistic alternatives to a two-state solution? It is hard to imagine any. […]If the status quo continues, the days ahead will be driven by an ongoing war of narratives over who is entitled to hate more and kill more. Sinister political agendas and ideologies will attempt to exploit religion. Extremism, vengeance and persecution will deepen not only in the region but also around the world," King Abdullah believes.
"No hospital, no school and no UN building is safe any longer. And make no mistake, Gazans will not abandon their homes because a leaflet or a text message tells them to do so. They know that leaving means losing hope, dignity and the chance to go back to their land: They have seen it happen to waves and waves of their fellow Palestinians and to their ancestors throughout the past seven decades of this conflict," he added.
He accused Israel of undermining the peace process for the last 20 years, but noted that he "cannot but believe that Palestinians and Israelis want the same thing."
"They are not monsters; they do not cherish misery and death," the king believes.
According to King Abdullah, world leaders must immediately begin working on resolving the current conflict.
"That work will not be easy, but it is imperative," the king added.