FM receives phone call from U.S. counterpart over Gaza

Amman: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, received a phone call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday evening. During the call, the two ministers discussed the efforts made to reach a ceasefire immediately, bring immediate and sufficient aid into Gaza Strip, and agree on an exchange deal through negotiations conducted through Egyptian, Qatari and U.S. efforts. Safadi reaffirmed the necessity of stopping the aggression against Gaza and ending the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe immediately, opening all crossings to deliver aid, enable United Nations organizations to distribute assistance and obligate Israel to respect international law and international humanitarian law. Blinken briefed Safadi on the proposal announced by US President Joe Biden, Friday, to complete an exchange deal mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar. Safadi stressed that Jordan supports the efforts made by Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. to reach an exchange deal as quickly as p ossible. Additionally, he stressed the need to deal "seriously" with every proposal that achieves a permanent ceasefire, ends the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, and ensures return of the displaced to their areas and withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Gaza. In press statements aired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Safadi said Jordan will continue to work with Arab countries and partners in the international community to stop the aggression "immediately," and deliver all the aid needed by the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza. Safadi added that this Jordanian endeavor also aims to launch a plan with "specific" timetable and "full" guarantees to implement the two-state solution, which embodies an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with occupied Jerusalem as its capital, on June 4, 1967 lines. Safadi urged the international community to move "immediately" to stop the aggression and massacres committed by the occupation forces against the Palestinian people, stop using starvation as a weapon, obligate Israel to respect international law and international humanitarian law, and implement decisions of the Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly and the International Court of Justice. In this context, Safadi stressed that Jordan supports efforts to reach an exchange deal and stresses importance of Egyptian, Qatari and American efforts. Safadi called on the international community to take a "clear" position that rejects Israel's policy of taking all Gaza residents as hostage, and linking cessation of the Israeli war crimes, including starvation and siege, to the truce deal. Source: Jordan News Agency