On Wednesday 15 January, King Abdullah II of Jordan reminded MEPs that a peaceful world needs a stable Middle East.
“What happens in the Middle East always has a way of making itself felt everywhere else”, he warned during his fifth speech to the European Parliament since 2002. Thus, “a more peaceful world cannot exist without a stable Middle East and a stable Middle East cannot exist without peace between Israelis and Palestinians”, he explained, referring at length to the situation in the Middle East. Abdullah II warned against abandoning a two-state solution.
However, the King, in a particularly pessimistic speech, pointed out the many crises in the Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Syria or even Libya. He therefore believed that, next time, if neither the United States nor Iran retreats, it “will lead us into an unspeakable chaos”. Abdullah II added that the situation in Iraq was based on a “fragile peace” and that he would not abandon the 40 million Iraqis. He also warned against a “total war” and a “failed state” in Libya, believing that it would become “the new Syria”.
And in addition to the conflicts, the Jordanian King recalled that the countries in the region were facing a major challenge: to find 60 million jobs for the younger generation over the next few years. If governments fail to do this, there is a risk of creating a perfect framework for extremists and facilitating their recruitment work. “Can we afford to leave young people in despair?”, he asked.
More generally, Abdullah II also recalled that, all over the world, people have made their voices heard, asking for “a fair chance”. According to him, “people all over the world have expressed their desired destination, but they are waiting for us to show them the way”.
And with regard to all these issues, “more than ever, we need the politics of patience, because we all have a responsibility to protect the long-term interests of our citizens and their well-being and to respond quickly to events that occur, but with measured and considered responses”, he explained.
“Peacekeeping is always the most difficult path, but it is also the most deserving, and it must be carried out with friends like you, in order to achieve the future that the people aspire to and that the world deserves”, he concluded, before a huge round of applause. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)