Heavyweight international diplomacy needed to secure cease-fire in Gaza: Jordanian premier

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Jordan's Prime Minister Bisher al Khasawaneh urged heavyweight international diplomacy on Friday to secure a cease-fire in the war-torn region.

He particularly urged the US and other influential nations to utilize their leverage to bring an end to the violence.

During an event at the London School of Economics, he asserted that the only viable path to preventing deeper conflict and regional instability is the implementation of a political process leading to a two-state solution, where a Palestinian state would coexist alongside Israel.

"The world can't tolerate apartheid policies now. If you do not have a two-state solution, what are the alternatives? A state of perpetual war? The two-state solution is the only way that ensures Israel's security as well," he said.

"Leadership is needed from our American friends and our American partners, and from various capitals in the world, that can influence the decision-making process in Israel in genuine terms to bring this carnage to an end," he said.

He highlighted the clear concerns expressed by public opinion in the West regarding the violence and its effect on the international rules-based system, particularly in providing aid to devastated parts of Gaza.

"The main powers are under not only a moral responsibility but also an obligation in the context of preserving the rules-based international system to come and tell the current Israeli government that this needs to stop," he added.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas which Tel Aviv said killed 1,200 people.

At least 24,762 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 62,108 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.