UN sickening silence on Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres continues to maintain his year-long silence by burying any discussion of the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution (HKOPS) – published on 8 June 2022 – to replace the failed two-state solution unsuccessfully pursued by the United Nations since 23 December 2016: The creation of an independent Palestinian-Arab State between Israel and Jordan for the first time in recorded history.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine represents the merger of Jordan, Gaza and part of the West Bank into one territorial entity – to be ruled by Jordan’s Hashemite rulers – with its capital in Amman – not Jerusalem.
Guterres and Tor Wennesland – United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process and the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, as well as the Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Quartet– have not allowed the phrase “Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution” to slip from their lips or be mentioned even once in their lengthy monthly reports presented to the United Nations Security Council.
During their past twelve months self-imposed silence – the security position in the West Bank and Gaza has deteriorated markedly – culminating in last week’s Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp.
Both Guterres and Wennesland have been grossly derelict in failing to raise HKOPS with the Security Council.
Jenin was as predictable as night follows day – as is the pious bleating and hand-wringing coming from the UN following that raid.
Guterres has arrogantly chosen to once again endorse the UN’s failed two-state strategy – without mentioning the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine as an alternative solution to prevent further confrontations like Jenin re-occurring in the West Bank and Gaza:
“Restoring the hope of the Palestinian people in a meaningful political process, leading to a two-State solution and the end of the occupation, is an essential contribution by Israel to its own security.”
Lecturing Israel on what is good for its security is high-handed and presumptuous. Perhaps Guterres could better focus on his own shortcomings in failing to show any interest in implementing the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution – as the threat of further humanitarian disasters affecting both Jews and Arabs continues to loom large in the West Bank and Gaza.
The Security Council in its monthly report issued on 2 July stated:
“The overarching issue for the Security Council remains to determine how it can support the resumption of political negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians to move towards a resolution of the conflict and achieve a two-state solution. The deteriorating security situation and violence against civilians remain important matters of concern for Council members. While the Council has met on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” twelve times in six months, it has been unable to put forward a shared strategy to prevent the further worsening of the situation.”
Sorry Security Council – your overarching issue is to end the conflict between Jews and Arabs that has continued unresolved for more than 100 years.
The Security Council needs to fulfil its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security under Article 24(1) of the UN Charter. That is clearly not happening with the Security Council’s continuing support for the failed two-state solution. Flogging this dead horse any longer is a waste of time. Acknowledging this reality is critically important.
The Security Council needs to urgently acknowledge the existence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution and begin considering its implementation as the basis for a shared strategy to prevent many more Jenins and to finally end the long-running conflict.
The UN’s continuing silence on implementing the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution is sickening.
Please join my Facebook Page: “Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine supporters”
Author’s note: The cartoon — commissioned exclusively for this article — is by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones”- one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators — whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades.
David Singer is a Sydney lawyer and a foundation member of the International Analysts Network
