Photo by Nasser Ayoub

Jordan's Queen: Bombs not the answer to Palestinian crisis

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week Jordan's Queen Rania expressed growing concern about the crisis along the Gaza-Egypt border and the plight of fellow Palestinians, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

In an interview aired on CNN's The Situation Room program, Queen Rania told reporter Becky Anderson that bombs are not going to bring peace to the region.

Queen Rania, who is married to Jordan's King Abdullah II said: "I think what we're seeing today is just adding another layer of grievances to a situation that has been burdened by tragedy, destruction, death and heart ache. The humanitarian situation is extremely worrying at the moment."

Commenting on the Israeli restrictions on Palestianians living in Gaza who broke through a border wall with Egypt, the Queen said: "I think what we're seeing here is just an act of desperation for people trying to provide for their children, for old people seeking medical care, seeking supplies. And I think the world attention needs to turn to this crisis. It is a violation of international norms and conventions. I think something needs to be done quickly."

Remarking that Queen Rania has called for support of Palestinians in Gaza, reporter Anderson asked Her Majesty: "What would you say are the priorities at this point?"

"When you look at (what is happening) the humanitarian situation is pushed to collapse. A quarter of Palestinians the live in extreme poverty, unable to provide the basic necessities of life, of food, shelters and homes.

"The real victims have been the children, who have been growing up now nutritionally stunted because they are unable to eat proper food, emotionally stunted because they're living under tremendous pressure with a threat of destruction and academically stunted because they are unable to study and concentrate under these circumstances.

"So it is extremely important for us to reach out to these people, to make sure that we deal with the humanitarian issue, to make sure that we take care of the women and children who have nothing to do with the political processes in the first place. Because no matter how you cloak it, this is collective punishment to an entire population and it's in violation of international law.

Becky Anderson asked Her Majesty: " What do you think the international community can do to better help the humanitarian situation there?"

Queen Rania responded: "First of all, we have to lift the siege. We have to stop the military aggression. And aid agencies have to be allowed to work there because, by all accounts, hearing from them, the humanitarian situation is extraordinarily terrible there. So aid needs to be allowed to move freely into the area. But most importantly, the real peace will only come once the political situation is settled. And we all know what needs to be done."

Rania Al-Yasin was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents. She attended primary and secondary school at New English School in Kuwait, then gained a degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo. After her graduation in 1991, Queen Rania worked at Citibank before taking a job at Apple Computer in Jordan.

She met Jordanian king Abdullah bin Al-Hussein, then Prince, at a dinner party in January 1993. Two months later, they announced their engagement and on June 10, 1993, they were married.

The Queen has been an outspoken advocate of women's rights even though women's rights have only slowly improved in Jordan. She was awarded the honorary rank of colonel in the Jordanian Armed Forces by her husband, King Abdullah, on June 9, 2004.

Her activities encompass issues of national concern, as well as several core issues that she has a special interest in including the development of income-generating projects; encouraging the advancement of best practices in the field of microfinance; the protection of children from violence; the promotion of Early Childhood Development, and the incorporation of Information Technology into schools.

[01/31/2008]

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