Jordan’s king puts Gaza back in the spotlight

Abdullah II warns against becoming “complicit in rewriting what it means to be human."

In an address to the European Parliament, King Abdullah II of Jordan reminded the assembly of its moral leadership especially in the context of Gaza.

Drawing on a "legacy of respect and cooperation", King Abdullah addressed the assembly with a reminder of shared values—compassion, justice, and equality—woven through the fabric of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism alike.

"Goodwill and responsibility"

Jordan, he noted, stands as the home to the Baptism Site of Jesus and a living testament to interfaith harmony, where Muslim and Christian communities work side by side. The Hashemite Custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites, he argued, springs from this well of goodwill and responsibility.

Yet, he observed, the world now faces a moral crossroads. Referring to the pivotal choices Europe made eighty years ago that  forged a better continent from the ashes of conflict, he cautioned that today, the global order is fraying. Nowhere is this more evident than in Gaza, where the atrocities of two years past have become routine. The targeting of hospitals and civilians, the weaponisation of famine, and attacks on journalists are, he argued, symptoms of a world losing its moral compass.

"Unthinkable"

“What version of our humanity allows the unthinkable to become routine?” he asked. “Permits weaponizing famine against children? Normalizes the targeting of health workers, journalists and civilians seeking refuge in camps? When our global community fails to bridge the gap between principle and action, when values are not practiced, they become performative, abstract and expendable.”

King Abdullah insisted this is not just another political moment but a reckoning for humanity. Europe’s leadership, he urged, is essential in steering towards renewal rooted in principle.

EU signs deals for refugee issues

The king’s address came after the EU signed packages worth €3.5 billion with Jordan, aimed at reinforcing its military and enabling “durable solutions for refugees”. Similar deals have been signed with Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia.