King Abdullah II used the 1200-word speech he made at the opening of the 78th UN General Assembly to focus on the plight of refugees and the Palestinian conflict.
Speaking of refugees around the world, the King mentioned the word refugees twelve times pointing out their high numbers and their difficult situation. “108 million refugees, people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes and ways of life.”
Turning to the Palestinian issue the King repeated the word people eleven times saying: “How can people trust in global justice while settlement building, land confiscations, and home demolitions continue.”
Relegating his own country to the third place in word count, the King mentioned Jordan eight times noting that “In Jordan, where refugees make up over one-third of our 11-million population, cuts have already thrown the lives of hundreds of thousands of refugees into uncertainty.”
His Majesty gave importance to life under Israeli occupation by repeating the term Palestinian seven times. “Five million Palestinians live under occupation no civil rights; no freedom of mobility; no say in their lives.”
The Jordanian monarch returned to his global status by repeating the term international six times and the term global five times noting that Jordan “will we work as one, to rebuild the lost trust in international action, and help those in want.” And then asked the question “Will we come together in global solidarity, to get to the root of the problem: the conflicts and crises that destroy life and hope?”
King Abdullah spoke in utter disappointment about the absence of regional security because of the Palestinian conflict (conflict repeated five times): “No architecture for regional security and development can stand over the burning ashes of this conflict.”
Turning to the delay for justice and peace (peace repeated five times the King said: “Delaying justice and peace has brought endless cycles of violence 2023 has been the deadliest for the Palestinian people in the past 15 years.”
The absence of peace has its biggest effect on children and families (terms repeated four times): As refugee families find themselves forced to send their children to work instead of school?” The King called on the UN member states to support to Palestinian families through UNRWA: “This is essential to protect families, keep communities stable, and prepare young people for productive lives.”
In conclusion his speech at the world forum the King whose Hashemite family have been custodians of Jerusalem (repeated three times) said: “But preserving Jerusalem, as the city of faith and peace for Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, is a responsibility that we all share.”
