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King Abdullah’s significant UN message

Sep 29,2015 - Last updated at Sep 29,2015

His Majesty King Abdullah’s much-awaited speech at the United Nations General Assembly Monday was by no means a traditional world leader’s language at the world organisation’s annual session.

Representing the voice of reason from a region torn by conflict and perpetual violence, King Abdullah presented the world with its responsibilities. His words were simple, straightforward, specifically focused and very powerful.

In representing Jordan, the King described himself “as a God-fearing, God-loving human being”; as a father, his expressed hope is that his children, like those of his audience, “live in a compassionate and more peaceful world”.

That more peaceful world the Monarch wants for all our children is evidently uncertain.

The future is under serious threat “from the khawarej, the outlaws of Islam that operate globally today”, King Abdullah affirmed, further describing them as those who “target religious differences, hoping to kill cooperation and compassion among the billions of people, of all faiths and communities, who live side-by-side in our many countries”.

Those who “grant themselves the free hand to distort the word of God to justify the most atrocious crimes”, he also described them.

The King’s call is that the entire world be therefore united in a global collective action on all fronts to defeat those forces, “on the battleground of the heart, soul and mind”.

Otherwise, he asked, “can we tolerate a future where mass murder, public beheadings, kidnapping and slavery are common practices? Where the persecution of communities is law? Where communities’ cultural treasures, preserved for thousands of years, are systematically destroyed?”

Those who succumbed to the conviction that the consequences of the gruesome conditions that currently prevail in our region will remain are to wake up to the harder reality that the threat is spreading, and spreading fast, to engulf every place and every nation, well beyond the confines of our region.

The seven steps the Monarch listed for combating the creeping extremist trends and the violence implied are based on the basic values that unite us, in contrast with the “minuscule” divisive issues that separate us.

King Abdullah stressed cardinal values such as justice, tolerance, dialogue, mutual respect, love, kindness, compassion, understanding, moderation, acceptance of the other, recognition, cooperation and peace.

Clearly referring to those extremist organisations that utilise and play on the weaknesses of the needy, the ill-informed, the embittered, the disadvantaged, the afflicted and the deprived, King Abdullah warned against using religion as a mask for greed for power, money or land.

“Is there a worse crime than twisting God’s word to promote your own interests? Is there a more despicable act than feeding on the vulnerable and innocent, to recruit them to your ranks?” the King asked.

The Jordanian leader put both the UN and the world nations before their duty to rid the world of such detrimental trends.

The force of the King’s words draw on the spectacular success of the Jordanian experience, recognised worldwide, the experience of this small country surrounded by trouble all around, targeted, territorially exposed and obliged to cope with mounting challenges, which has managed, despite all odds, to stay secure, stable and safe. 

Jordan took in record time more Syrian refugees than those who are now knocking at European and other world powers’ doors, causing consternation and panic. That, besides the other massive waves of refugees from Iraq and elsewhere that came into the Kingdom in past decades.

And as the King reminded his UN audience, “Jordan has been proud to work with your countries to spearhead global initiatives for tolerance and dialogue. This has been reflected in the Amman Message, and A Common Word, and, four years ago, we helped create the UN’s Global Interfaith.”

Although the King’s speech to the UN this year has been primarily focused on the direct threat — the danger of extremist groups operating in many countries in the region and beyond — the King left no doubt in anyone’s mind that the threat facing the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem will not be allowed to continue.   

Referring to Jerusalem as a should-be symbol of coexistence, King Abdullah confirmed that “the Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites is a sacred duty, and we join Muslims and Christians everywhere in rejecting threats to the holy places and the Arab character of this Holy City.”

The King’s significant message to the UN this session is yet another step in an endless endeavour to address mounting trouble seriously undermining regional peace and security.

 

King Abdullah had repeatedly stressed his belief that without a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict (the main source of radicalisation, violence, instability, desperation and hopelessness), peace and stability in our region will remain an elusive dream.

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