Safadi Hands Over Arab League Presidency, Warns Of Israeli Aggression

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

CAIRO, Sept. 4 (Petra) – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Ayman Safadi on Thursday handed over the presidency of the 164th ordinary session of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level to the United Arab Emirates.
In his opening address, Safadi said the Council convenes "in an ordinary session under circumstances that are anything but ordinary," warning that the danger of Israeli aggression is escalating and poses a threat to the entire Arab system and the security of the region.
"We face an Israeli regime that places no limit on the brutality of its destructive wars on Gaza, on the occupied West Bank, and on the stability and future of Syria and Lebanon," he said. "The Israeli government openly declares its intention to redraw the map of the region. It disregards international law, shows no restraint before any human value. It has destroyed Gaza, steals Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, and announces its desire to impose its sovereignty over the West Bank."
Safadi accused Israel of exploiting Syria's transitional phase "to tamper with its national fabric, violate its sovereignty, and foment strife targeting its security, stability, and unity," while continuing to occupy Lebanese territory and reject previous commitments.
He warned that Israel seeks to render Gaza uninhabitable "as part of a colonial displacement scheme," while besieging Palestinians and their leadership in the West Bank "to destroy their legitimate representation and pave the way for further displacement plans."
"This is the danger that obliges a reassessment of all the tools of our joint Arab action," Safadi said. "The challenge is unprecedented. The threat is to our shared security, our regional stability, our interests, and our future."
Safadi reaffirmed Jordan's rejection of any attempt to displace Palestinians from their homeland, describing it as a crime, and stressed the priority of ending Israel's "barbaric aggression" on Gaza and the famine it has caused "before the eyes of the whole world." He reiterated Jordan's firm position on defending the historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem's Islamic and Christian holy sites under the Hashemite custodianship of King Abdullah II.
He condemned Israel's illegal measures in the occupied West Bank designed to block the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, and denounced "the absurd hate speech" of extremist Israeli ministers declaring their intent to impose sovereignty over Palestinian land.
Safadi also voiced support for the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas's reform vision, welcomed Saudi and French initiatives to advance the two-state solution, and underlined the significance of the upcoming international conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly as "a cry for Palestinian rights and a reaffirmation of the Arab strategic choice of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace."
He reiterated Jordan's support for Syria's security, sovereignty, and unity, warning against the consequences of Israeli attacks and interventions, and stressed the importance of a solution in southern Syria that preserves its territorial integrity and protects its citizens. He highlighted Jordan's role in hosting the Amman meetings with Syria and the United States to stabilize the southern province of Sweida.
Safadi further expressed support for Lebanon's security and stability, Sudan's unity and political resolution, and ongoing efforts to resolve crises in Libya and Yemen.
"Joint Arab action is not a luxury it is a shared interest, and in these difficult Arab times it is a necessity that must be placed at the top of our priorities," Safadi concluded, thanking the Arab League Secretariat for its cooperation during Jordan's presidency of the previous session before inviting UAE Minister of State Khalifa Al Marar to assume the chairmanship of the new session.

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