Jordan Supports S. Africa in U.N Case, Blames Israel for Regional Tensions

FILE — Jordan's King Abdullah II, reviews an honor guard before giving a speech to Parliament in Amman, Jordan, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019.

AMMAN — Jordan on Friday said Israel’s assault against Palestinians were to blame for heightened regional tension and violence in the Red Sea, which it said threatened to ignite a wider war in the Middle East.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also voiced support for South Africa's case against Israel at the United Nations top court over the war against Hamas in Gaza, and said Amman was ready to submit legal documents and appear in court if the case proceeds. South Africa alleges Israel is committing genocide and war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has denied allegations that it has committed war crimes and rejected South Africa’s allegations as "grossly distorted".

Authorities in the Middle Eastern nation say Hamas has attempted to commit genocide against Israelis.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza came after Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping more than 240. The Israeli air and ground assault has killed more than 23,000 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Safadi said the international community had failed to stop Israeli offensive against Palestinians, which was endangering regional security. His comments came after the United States and Britain launched strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement's attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

"The Israeli aggression on Gaza and its continued committing of war crimes against the Palestinian people and violating international law with impunity are responsible for the rising tensions witnessed in the region," Safadi said in remarks carried by state media.

The stability of the region and its security were closely tied, Safadi said.

"The international community is at a humanitarian, moral, legal and security crossroads," he added.

The Jordanian foreign minister said, "either it shoulders its responsibilities and ends Israel's arrogant aggression and protect civilians or allows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist ministers to drag us to a regional war that threatens world peace."

Safadi said Israel was pushing the region toward more conflict "by continuing its aggression and its attempt to open new fronts," and that Israeli military actions against civilians in Gaza met the legal definition of genocide.

"Jordan supports South Africa in its case against Israel," he said. "We will submit legal documentation and appear at the court when or if the case is accepted."