Amid the ongoing deadly Israeli bombardment in Gaza and a worsening humanitarian crisis, Queen Rania of Jordan has strongly criticized Western leaders for what she termed “glaring double standards” in their approach to the situation. She argued that the support given to Israel amounted to “aiding and abetting” the mass killings of civilians in Gaza.
Over 5,700 Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip have tragically lost their lives in the air strikes, including more than 2,300 children, 1,200 women, and 295 elderly individuals. Gaza officials report that over 16,200 people are wounded, while hospitals are warning of an impending collapse due to low supplies caused by the Israeli blockade in response to Hamas attacks, initiated on October 7.
In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Queen Rania, who has Palestinian heritage, expressed her profound disappointment with the world’s response to the unfolding catastrophe. She pointed out the “glaring double standard” exhibited by the Western world and emphasized that the Arab world perceives the support for Israel as contributing to the civilian casualties in Gaza.
Queen Rania drew attention to the immediate and unequivocal international support for Israel’s right to defend itself following the events of October 7. However, she noted that the recent weeks have been marked by a conspicuous silence from the international community. She stated, “This is the first time in modern history that there is such human suffering, and the world is not even calling for a ceasefire.” The Queen found this silence “deafening,” and many in the region view it as the Western world being complicit in the situation.
She concluded her remarks by asking, “Are we being told that it is wrong to kill a family, an entire family, at gunpoint, but it’s OK to shell them to death? I mean, there is a glaring double standard here.” Queen Rania’s comments have stirred significant attention and discussion on the international stage, drawing attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
