What Did Jordanian Figures Say About The King's UN Speech?
Several figures highlighted specific passages from the speech, particularly the King's call for the international community to move from condemnation to action, and his warning that the continued absence of deterrence could encourage Israel to expand its actions beyond the Palestinian territories.
Maher Abu Tair: A“Very Sharp” Speech
Writer and political analyst Maher Abu Tair described the King's speech as“very sharp,” saying it came at a sensitive time for Jordan, amid what he described as growing security threats along the country's western and northern borders.
He considered the most“dangerous” element of the speech to be the call for the use of concrete measures against Israel, including sanctions, asset freezes and diplomatic isolation, rather than limiting the response to condemnation.
Omar Alayasra:“He Shook All the World's Leaders”
Senate member Omar Alayasra said the sharpness of the speech reflected the King's awareness of“the sensitivity of the circumstances and the moment,” particularly with regard to Palestine and Syria.
He said the King“shook all the world's leaders” and warned them of the dangers of becoming accustomed to what is happening in the region. He also noted that the speech challenged Israeli narratives concerning religious war, security and the justification of measures in the West Bank.
Bisher Al-Khasawneh:“Exceptional” and“Extremely Bold”
Former Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh described the speech as“exceptional” by every measure, saying it combined principled, intelligent, bold and wise approaches.
Al-Khasawneh focused on the concept of the“power of attention” raised by the King, arguing that declining international attention to crises leads to them being treated as normal. He noted that media coverage of what is happening in Gaza has declined compared with the early stages of the war.
He also praised the speech's precise description of Israeli practices in the West Bank, describing it as“extremely intelligent,”“extremely comprehensive” and“extremely bold.”
Fawzan Al-Baqour: From Positions to Action
Dr Fawzan Al-Baqour, Secretary General of the Change Party, said the speech reaffirmed Jordan's established positions on the Palestinian issue and international law.
Al-Baqour focused on the King's call for the international community to assume its responsibilities and move“from positions to effective measures,” arguing that the absence of accountability undermines the effectiveness of international institutions and deepens instability.
Iyad Abdel Fattah Al-Najjar: Jordanian Presence in the Face of International Crises
Iyad Abdel Fattah Al-Najjar, Secretary General of the Jordanian Al-Qudwa Party, said Jordan's participation in the UN General Assembly meetings reflects the Kingdom's political and diplomatic presence and its commitment to its established positions, foremost among them the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem and regional security.
He said Jordan's message to the international community is based on respect for international law, support for peace, and the right of peoples to security, dignity and justice.
Dhaifallah Abu Aqoula: Stability Is an Economic Issue
Dr Dhaifallah Abu Aqoula, President of the Customs Clearance and Freight Transport Companies Union, directly linked the King's speech to the economic consequences of regional crises.
“Security and stability are not merely political issues. They are the foundation of the economy, trade, supply chains, transportation and logistics services,” he said, pointing to the impact of regional instability on transportation and insurance costs and shipping times.
Hamid Al-Bataineh: Managing the Conflict Is Not a Solution
Dr Hamid Al-Bataineh, President of the Jordan Forum for Policy Dialogue, said the Palestinian issue was at the heart of the speech as a key to stability in the region.
“Managing the conflict cannot be a substitute for resolving it,” he said, arguing that stability requires a political solution leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state, while linking the protection of the Palestinian cause to Jordan's security, borders and water security.
Reda Al-Khawaldeh: Wars Must Not Become Normalized
Dr Reda Al-Khawaldeh, President of the Jordanian Society for Scientific Research, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, said the speech called on the international community to deal seriously with the region's crises and not allow wars and their humanitarian and political consequences to become normalized.
He stressed the importance of maintaining Jordan's role in international forums and promoting dialogue, diplomacy and political solutions.
Khamis Hussein Atieh: Palestine Cannot Remain Hostage to Statements of Condemnation
First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Khamis Hussein Atieh said the speech placed the international community before its political, moral and legal responsibilities.
He said the central message was that“the Palestinian cause cannot remain hostage to statements of condemnation and resolutions that never reach implementation,” adding that the King's reference to“attention” carried a warning about the danger of the world becoming accustomed to wars and suffering.
Mustafa Al-Amawi: The Absence of a Solution Keeps the Region Unstable
MP Mustafa Al-Amawi focused on the King's assertion that the continued absence of a political solution to the Palestinian issue will keep the region trapped in instability.
He said the two-state solution remains the path to peace and that the international community must move beyond statements and declarations toward practical steps to address the conflict.
Mustafa Al-Khasawneh: Gaza and the West Bank“Are Not Two Separate Issues”
MP Mustafa Al-Khasawneh said the King's speech carried clear political and humanitarian messages and placed the international community before its responsibilities regarding developments in Gaza and the West Bank.
He stressed the need to reject any attempt to treat developments in the two areas as separate events, noting that Jordan's security, borders and water resources are an essential part of the country's national security.
Othman Al-Makhadmeh: Regional Security Is One Interconnected System
MP Othman Al-Makhadmeh said Jordan's regional policy is based on the understanding that the security and stability of the Arab region constitute“one interconnected system.”
He stressed that Jordan's message combines clarity in its political position with moderation in its rhetoric and a commitment to dialogue and political solutions, while safeguarding national and Arab interests.
Ahmed Al-Hmeisat: Ending Occupation, Settlement and Displacement
Ahmed Al-Hmeisat, head of the Parliamentary Initiative Bloc, said the speech placed the international community before its responsibilities, particularly regarding what Palestinians are facing in Gaza and the West Bank.
He focused on the King's call to move from positions and resolutions to practical steps to end occupation, settlement and displacement, while emphasizing that Jordan's security, water resources and borders are“red lines that cannot be crossed.”
Haitham Ziadin: Rejecting Displacement, Annexation and Settlement
Haitham Ziadin, head of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, said the speech was clear and firm in rejecting“forced displacement, annexation and settlement, and attempts to impose a new reality on the ground.”
He stressed that ignoring violations cannot be a substitute for a political solution, while emphasizing the protection of Jordan's security, borders and water sources.
Zuhair Al-Khashman: Time Is Becoming a Tool for Changing the Land
Zuhair Al-Khashman, head of the Union and Reform Parliamentary Bloc, viewed the speech through the relationship between time and politics.
He said the world treats time as space for diplomacy, while the Israeli government is using it to alter the land on which a political settlement is supposed to be based.
He added that the King's warning about Israeli expansion in southern Syria is linked, in his reading, to the risk of a policy of impunity spreading to new areas, stressing that protecting Jordan's borders, water resources and the interests of its people is“a collective responsibility.”
Jordan Press Association Council: Protecting Journalists Is Part of Protecting the Truth
The Jordan Press Association Council highlighted another aspect of the speech concerning the protection of journalists in conflict zones.
It said the King's call to enable journalists to carry out their professional duties without being targeted, intimidated or restricted makes protecting journalists and media freedom part of protecting peoples' right to know.
The council also said the King's call for sanctions against Israel conveyed a message that differed from traditional diplomatic discourse, particularly amid the continuing war in Gaza and policies of settlement, displacement and land seizure.
Professional Associations: Jordan's Voice Before the International Community
The General Secretariat of the Professional Associations Council said the speech placed the international community before its responsibilities regarding violations and humanitarian suffering, and reaffirmed support for Jordan's position on the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem.
The associations said peace cannot be achieved without justice and guarantees of Palestinian rights.
Jordanian Civil Democratic Party
The Jordanian Civil Democratic Party said King Abdullah II's speech before the UN General Assembly placed the international community before its responsibilities toward the Palestinian people and highlighted the risks posed by the continuation of occupation, settlement, annexation and displacement. It stressed that Jordan remains committed to the Palestinians' right to self-determination and to establishing an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The party said the continued issuance of international resolutions without implementation undermines confidence in international law, calling for political positions to be translated into practical measures that include accountability, an end to displacement and annexation, support for UNRWA and preservation of the Hashemite custodianship over the holy sites in Jerusalem.
On the national front, the party welcomed the King's emphasis that Jordan's sovereignty, borders, water security and national interests are red lines, saying that security developments in southern Syria and attempts to impose new realities represent a concern for regional and Jordanian security. The party called for building on the speech through coordinated political, diplomatic and legal action, alongside strengthening the domestic front through political participation, the rule of law, social justice and a more resilient national economy.
Overall, Jordanian readings of the speech ranged from those who focused on its political sharpness, such as Maher Abu Tair and Omar Alayasra, to those who emphasized international law and accountability, such as Khamis Atieh and Haitham Ziadin, while others approached it primarily from the perspective of national security, including Zuhair Al-Khashman and Mustafa Al-Khasawneh. Others linked its content to the economy and trade, development and labour, or the media.
Yet one theme was repeated in different forms across many of these reactions: the speech did not ask the international community merely to record another position. It placed before it the question of using the tools at its disposal, particularly with regard to the war in Gaza and the West Bank and Israel's expansion in the region.
This comes as the King himself stressed that Jordan would not ignore any threat to its northern borders or water security, and that diplomacy and dialogue do not mean abandoning the protection of national interests.
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