His Majesty King Abdullah II
Interview with Al-Arabiyya TV
August 3, 2004
Question (1): Your Majesty, fifteen months
have elapsed since the launch of the American war in Iraq. There is now a new
reality, in the aftermath of the fall of the Iraqi regime and its rejection
before the fall, of the last chance of survival, represented by Sheikh Zayed
initiative in Sharm al Sheikh. perhaps the Arab Summit's failure to avoid the
war on Iraq has contributed as well, but this is now history. Today, there is a
new interim Iraqi government. What is required of the Arab states towards Iraq,
and how will Jordan's relations be with Iraq?
His Majesty: We congratulate the Iraqi people on this achievement and
wish the Iraqi Government conciliation and success in restoring security,
stability and rebuilding of the state's institutions, as well as resituating
Iraq back to its natural status and main role in the region.
What is required now from Arab and neighboring countries, is to provide all
support and assistance to the Iraqi government, to enable it enforce security
and stability, and enhance the subsequent withdrawal of coalition forces of
Iraqi territory. Without security control, the justification will remain for the
continued presence of such forces.
In Jordan, we have from the early days sent a field hospital to help the Iraqi
people. We have also initiated training of batches of Iraqi police and army
personnel. Jordan also provided the Iraqi army with some weaponry and military
equipment, including more than 150 armored vehicles. We remain posed to provide
assistance in all fields that our Iraqi brethren may need.
Question (2): Therefore, Your Majesty has spoken about the assistance you
rendered to Iraq.. there were talks previously about sending Jordanian forces,
then Jordan withdrew from that.. If the USA asked you to send Jordanian forces
to Iraq.. will you agree to this, especially since there is an initial agreement
to send Arab and Islamic forces (Al Jazeera shield) during the tour Iyad Allawi,
Iraqi Prime Minister made?
His Majesty: I have said from the beginning, that we are not the right
party, nor the one that should undertake this role. As we stated before, we do
not want to replace an Israeli tank in Palestine with a Jordanian one, here too.
We do not want to replace an American tank in Iraq with a Jordanian one.
Therefore, we wish our friends and brethren would understand our position. But
if the Iraqi brethren were to ask for the participation of an Arab force on
their land, we would there and then look into this matter, and do what is
appropriate.
Question (3): The matter then, is conditional upon a request from the Iraqis,
But Your Majesty, the opposition in Jordan and Iraq, are taking it against
Jordan, its support for the new Government due to its being considered a tool,
or an appointed government by the US occupying forces, I mean Iyad Allawi's
government. Some people are talking about a gap between the official and popular
positions especially in regards to the new Iraq?
His Majesty: We support this Government because it represents an
important phase on the path of Iraq's return to its normal status, and the
subsequent termination of the need for Government, and assisting it to achieve
security and stability, the coalition forces will remain in Iraq. Therefore, the
best way to accelerate their departure is to provide support for this
government.
As for big and unrealistic slogans, they in fact do not serve the Iraqi people,
and do not provide help to terminate the occupation. Such a trend, if not a mere
exploitation process, is simply an attempt to attract false popularity.
Question (4): The Palestinian pivot. One cannot but sigh when the Palestinian
cause is discussed. Where have we been and where have we become in the past
years. Anyway, I will slip down in the question, in line with the present
slipping down in the Palestinian cause. In light of Sharon's plan, how do you
see the reality of the Palestinian cause, and what is Your Majesty's views
regarding Sharon's plan to withdraw from Gaza?
His Majesty: Jordan's position is clear and declared. It is based upon
the Road map, and the commitment of the Israeli and Palestinian sides towards
the execution of its provisions on the ground. This path is the right path to
reach a final and lasting settlement. We have always affirmed that withdrawal
from Gaza, must and should be within the frame of the Road map and not instead
of it.
Question (5) : Your Majesty, Israel and the USA say that the Palestinian
President, Yasser Arafat, is not the relevant partner, and that he is an
obstacles in the path of peace. In one of the interviews with Your Majesty in
one of the media channels, Your Majesty was quoted to have said, that you
invited Abu Ammar to consider stepping down, or resigning?
His Majesty: The Palestinian people is the only party that can choose its
own leadership or change it. We have always been and will remain respectful and
supportive of any choice or decision taken by the Palestinian people.
It is said, the people of Mecca best know its alleys. I have said however that
the Palestinian leadership is invited now, more than at any time before, to
seize the opportunity to achieve peace, through the Road Map, and the World's
support of this Map. Subsequently this demands that the Palestinian leadership
should conduct a comprehensive and bold revision to many of the facts on the
Palestinian arena, and correct some of the mistakes which the world take as
justifications for blaming the Palestinian side.
The World today, talks of several Palestinian sides, several apparatuses, lack
of institutionalization, and uses these facts, as justifications and reasons to
blame the Palestinian side. What is needed from the Palestinian Leadership in
this phase, is to take the decisions that will persuade the world, that it can
work with this leadership, as one that beholds a clear vision, with one
institutionalized referral, that the whole world can deal with as a real
partner, for achieving the final settlement, on the bases of land for peace.
Question (6): Yes.. Land for peace.. but what about the human beings, the
people, the refugees... Your Majesty, president Arafat is quoted to say in the
last press statement, that he has given up on the right of return. What is the
Jordanian position in this regard?
His Majesty: Jordan as everybody knows, has hosted the largest number of
refugees. It is Jordan's right to have a role and a say, when this subject is
discussed. We don not forego this right, and UN resolution 194 has stated the
right of refugees to return and to be compensated.
Also the Road Map states that discussing the refugees issue, will be in the
final stage. I cannot see the wisdom of broaching this subject now, and in this
way.
Question (7): Frankly Your Majesty, it is being said at times, that you in
Jordan interfere in the Palestinian affairs, and that you have hopes to return
to the West bank. What is your comment in this regard?
His Majesty: Jordan and its leadership has been subjected, since the reign of
the grandfather and founder King Abdullah I, and in the reign of His Late
Majesty King Hussein, God rest his soul, to an unfair campaign of accusations,
and skepticism of the Jordanian role towards the Palestinian cause. If Jordan
tried to speak about this cause, or attempted to offer assistance, Jordan is
said to interfere in Palestinian affairs, or that it has avid interest in the
West bank. Now if Jordan were not to do that, it is said that it is giving up
providing assistance to its Palestinian brethren. I would like to remind here of
the Rabat Summit decision, that stated that the Palestinian Liberation
Organization is the only legitimate representative for the Palestinian people,
has come about on such a background of doubts and unfair accusations. We have
accepted this resolution, then came the disengagement resolution, and we turned
a new page.
Therefore, I am not prepared to undertake any work or role, that would put
Jordan back in the cycle of accusations of doubts, or treason, as was the case
in the past. Jordan's role in this subject now is like that of any other Arab
country. Personally, my foremost concern and duty as a leader of my people, is
to achieve the aspirations of this people, to promote Jordan, Achieve
comprehensive development and decent for every Jordanian.
I don't have the desire, time, nor inclination to quarrel or to be accused. In
all circumstances, we are ready to provide all the support and assistance to our
Palestinian brethren, if they were to ask us for it. Otherwise, Jordan is First,
and the focus on our national issues is more important to me than any other
issue.
Question (8) Your Majesty there is a Palestinian reproach on the Arab World.
Palestinians complain that they are left alone face Israel and the World?
His Majesty: First the Palestinian people must tell us how they want us
to help them and with what. At the beginning, the talk was about the return of
98% of the occupied Palestinian territory, then it changed to a talk of less
than 50% of these territories. We do not know in a year or two years, what
percentage the talk will be about. As for the refugees issue, talk was on their
return and compensation, however we find now that the talk is concerning the
return of a small percentage of them.
We wish the Palestinian leadership would determine for us clearly, what it
wants, and not to surprise us every now and then with decisions and acceptance
of issues it had rejected in the past. It is regretful to see that what was
rejected previously, and what the acceptance of which was considered a treason
in the past, has regrettably become for some, a requirement and great
achievement.
Question(9): Iraq has been transformed into a war zone, with events in Saudi
Arabia, beheading with swords. Your Majesty there is a ferocious assault on
Islam in the world, and linking Islam with terrorism...
His Majesty: The problem is that there some who judge Islam through the
practices of terrorism groups that speak in the name of Islam, but Islam is
blameless.
The truth is that no rational human being, can accept the logic of these
terrorists, when they slaughter a defenseless, unarmed, and innocent human being
with a knife, shouting "Allah Akbar". Why do we throw the faults of such heinous
crimes on Almighty God? I know that Islam defined to the Moslem soldier how to
deal with his enemies. Even an enemy soldier, when captured or if unarmed and
cannot defend himself, it is not permissible to kill him or to treat him badly.
These explosions that kill tens of innocent Moslem children and women, under the
pretext of resistance, and that if the dead were Moslems, will go to paradise.
What logic and what religion is this? God Almighty has created a brain for human
being, that is responsible for all his deeds, whether good or evil, and
according to such deeds will be admitted to the Heaven or Hell. But for a human
being to commit horrendous crimes, and to blame its results on Almighty Allah,
this is another crime against religion, and all humanistic values.
Our duty as Moslems is to present to the world the true image of Islam, in terms
of its being a religion of tolerance and openness, one that rejects all forms of
terrorism, violence, and aggression. It is also our duty to cooperate amongst
ourselves and with others, to put an end to these terrorists, to foil their
criminal plans,plotted to distort the image of Islam.
Question (10): Yes Your Majesty.. Guantenamo and Abu Gharib, and what is
happing in the West Bank.. Some say that the occupation forces are killing Arabs
and Moslems, and torturing them in jails, etc.. your Majesty, they say it is
their right to bring double retaliation on..
His Majesty: First, we must assert that killing an innocent person, or an
unarmed person, is a criminal act, and totally rejected, regardless of the
identity, or religion of the killer and or that of the victim. When a small
group of Moslems slaughters a hostage, or makes an explosion that harms many
innocent victims, the West must know that this group doesn't represent Islam or
Moslems. When some coalition soldiers kill some innocent people, or torture some
prisoners, that group does not as well represent the nation, religion or
civilization that these soldiers belong to.
Question(11): Yes, there were investigation committees in the USA concerning
human rights violations in Abu Gharib. But Your Majesty some media outlets
discuss this subject, as if it is a conflict between the east and the west, a
"conflict of civilizations"...
His Majesty: What is required of the media, is to stop discussing this
subject in this format. The media's moral and professional duty is to reveal
facts, with objectivity, and to refrain from exaggeration, to build bridges of
interaction and understanding amongst people, rather than deepening such a gap,
and inciting hatred amongst them.
Question(12): The question of reform has been on the Arab Summit in Tunis's
agenda, which Your Majesty participated in, and which took decisions. You also
participated in this Summit. What does Your Majesty say in this regard?
His Majesty: When the others (the strong) meet to discuss issues
concerned with our region, and take decisions that concern our people, it is our
duty to be present, and to participate in these decisions that affect us.
Because if we were not there, others may decide on our behalf. Therefore, we
have to be present in all gatherings that discuss any subject that has any
connection with our region, and the future of our peoples. Our presence is for
us to present our points of view, and defend our interests.