Jordan's King Abdullah II Labels Israel a Regional Threat at UN

Jordan's King Abdullah II delivered a sharp rebuke of Israel at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing the country of committing war crimes and attempting to erase the Palestinian presence. Speaking just hours before Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman proposed transferring security and administrative responsibility for Areas A and B in the West Bank to Jordan, King Abdullah II stated that the "Israeli government's appetite has now become a regional threat." He also warned that "Syria is the warning," implying potential escalation.

During his address, the Jordanian monarch condemned the "destruction in Gaza" and the "de facto annexation of territories in the West Bank" as part of an effort to eliminate Palestinian identity. He further described the alleged "forced displacement of Palestinians" as a war crime and criticized the international community for managing, rather than confronting, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over decades.

The King's strong statements came to light shortly after Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, suggested in a podcast interview that Jordan should manage Areas A and B in the West Bank. Lieberman later clarified his remarks, stating he had confused Areas B and C, and that he intended to propose Jordan manage Areas A and B, while Israel would maintain full control over Area C to ensure territorial contiguity.