Jordan's Foreign Minister Accuses Israel of Escalating Violence in the West Bank

Following the escalation of violence in the West Bank, Jordan's Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, emphasized that Amman "will confront any efforts to displace Palestinians inside or outside the occupied territories with all its might." According to the Times of Israel, Safadi claimed in a sharp post on his X account in Arabic that "Israel's reasons for starting its aggressions in the West Bank are nothing but lies" fabricated by "the country's extremist racist ministers" to justify "the massacre of Palestinians and the destruction of their capabilities." Safadi added, "Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands, crimes against Palestinians, and the escalation of tensions in the region are the greatest threat to security and peace." On Thursday, Safadi harshly criticized unnamed Israeli officials in a tweet in English, describing them as "radicals who celebrate the killing of children, use hunger as a weapon, bomb hospitals and schools, attack UN personnel, violate the holy sites of Muslims and Christians in occupied Jerusalem, and deny the right to life of the Palestinian people," and welcomed proposed EU sanctions against them. These remarks came after Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, announced his support for EU sanctions against "some Israeli ministers who have spread hate messages against Palestinians." Although he did not name any ministers, reports suggest that extremist ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir may be among those targeted by these sanctions. According to international media, at least 19 Palestinians have been killed and one Israeli soldier injured due to Israeli forces' raid on Jenin in the West Bank, aimed at countering groups supported by the Islamic Republic. Reuters reported that hundreds of Israeli forces have stormed Jenin since Wednesday. The Israeli army stated that the aim of this operation is to prevent attacks by armed groups on Israeli citizens. These clashes occur amid heightened tensions between Israel and Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon. International calls for halting these operations continue. General Herzl Halevi, commander of the Israeli army, announced on Saturday that Israel will increase defensive measures and offensive operations, including the Jenin operation. Since the onset of hostilities last October, many Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. During the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, over 1,200 Israeli citizens, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed, and more than 250 others were taken hostage. Following this terrorist attack, Israel launched an invasion of Gaza to destroy Hamas and recover hostages taken by Hamas. The Hamas group is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. The escalation of violence in the West Bank has resulted in at least 19 Palestinians killed and one Israeli soldier injured. The Israeli army announced the end of a three-week operation in southern Gaza: six kilometers of tunnels were destroyed; 250 militants were killed. Operations by the Israeli army continue in the West Bank; a commander of "Islamic Jihad" and four Palestinian militants were killed. The United States sanctioned an Israeli NGO and a settler official due to "violence in the West Bank." Israeli tanks advanced in Khan Younis alongside extensive operations in the West Bank, where at least nine Palestinians were killed.