Amidst the complexities of the Israel-Gaza conflict, Queen Rania of Jordan granted a heartfelt interview. She emphasized that this ongoing strife, which gained international attention due to the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October, is not merely a recent event. Instead, it’s a saga spanning 75 years, marked by immense loss and displacement for the Palestinian people.
Born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, Queen Rania shared her thoughts with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour from her Amman office. She reflected on the persistent turmoil for Palestinians living on the far side of the separation barrier, where the specter of war has never truly dissipated.
In poignant words, she recounted witnessing Palestinian mothers compelled to inscribe their children’s names on their hands. This heart-wrenching gesture stems from the stark reality that their offspring face a perilously high risk of becoming casualties, their lives extinguished and bodies reduced to lifeless forms.
The Queen underscored a universal truth: Palestinian mothers’ love for their children is as profound as any mother’s love worldwide. It’s deeply disheartening to witness them enduring such unimaginable circumstances.
Rania, 53 years old and a mother of four with King Abdullah II, expressed her country’s collective sentiment of grief, anguish, and disbelief in response to the staggering toll on civilian lives. Jordan unequivocally condemns the loss of any innocent lives.
With over 6,000 civilians and 2,400 children killed thus far, Queen Rania questioned the narrative of “self-defense.” She decried the mass-scale carnage facilitated by precision weaponry. Over the past fortnight, indiscriminate bombings in Gaza have resulted in the annihilation of entire families, the obliteration of residential communities, and the targeting of critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, places of worship, medical personnel, journalists, and UN relief workers.
Queen Rania stressed that military intervention is not the answer and implored for a free Palestine. She believes that the only viable path to resolution is through diplomacy, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state living harmoniously alongside Israel, in peace and security.
The royal figure also pointed out what she perceives as Western “double standards” in the conflict, with many in the region viewing the West as inadvertently supporting the Israeli side. She emphasized the context of a nuclear-armed regional superpower that occupies Palestinian territory and is accused of ongoing oppression and documented crimes against Palestinians, a critical aspect often overlooked in international discourse.
A few days following the Hamas terrorist attack, Queen Rania used her Instagram platform to share emotionally-charged videos and images portraying the suffering endured by Gaza’s residents. The posts featured young girls in tears and families bidding farewell to their loved ones. Her simple but profound statement resonated widely: “It isn’t self-defense if you are an occupying force…”
