Jordan, Norway push for Gaza ceasefire, two-state solution amid rising tensions
Amman: Jordan and Norway have jointly called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, alongside unrestricted humanitarian access and renewed commitment to the two-state solution as the path to lasting peace in the region.
Speaking after talks in Amman on Monday, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi lauded Norway’s recent recognition of the State of Palestine, calling it a significant step towards upholding international law and justice.
Safadi emphasized that lasting peace and regional stability require the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli extremist ministers, warning that such actions risk further escalation.
He praised Norway's leadership as chair of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which coordinates international donor support for Palestinians, and welcomed its efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and push for revived peace negotiations.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and underscored that conflict will persist unless the core issue — the absence of a Palestinian state — is resolved. Eide reaffirmed Norway’s support for Palestinian statehood and welcomed the upcoming UN conference on the two-state solution, scheduled for June in New York and co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
Meanwhile, Israel has reportedly rejected a new ceasefire proposal brokered by the United States. According to Israel’s state-owned Kan TV, the plan called for a 70-day ceasefire, the release of 10 hostages (five living and five deceased), expanded humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the initiation of negotiations for a permanent truce.
A senior Israeli official involved in the talks dismissed the proposal, describing it as a “surrender to Hamas.”
The conflict in Gaza has now entered its 19th month, with international efforts intensifying to halt the violence and address the underlying political impasse.
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Hezbollah leader vows not to disarm, criticises Lebanese government’s move
Beirut: Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Kassem on Friday (August 15, 2025) vowed that the Iran-backed group would not lay down its weapons, criticising the Lebanese government’s recent decision to disarm the group by the end of the year, according to a report published by The Hindu. Speaking during a televised address marking a Shiite religious event, Kassem said the move “serves Israel’s interests” and endangers the lives of “resistance fighters and their families.”
Kassem argued that the government should instead have “spread its authority and evicted Israel from Lebanon,” adding that it is “serving the Israeli project.” He warned that if the ongoing crisis escalates into internal conflict, the government would be responsible. While Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal movement, have not yet called for street protests, Kassem cautioned that if such a decision is made, demonstrators “will be all over Lebanon and head to the U.S. embassy.”
Last week, the Lebanese government approved a U.S.-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah and implement a ceasefire with Israel, a move urged by the international community following the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war that ended in November.
Kassem insisted that Hezbollah will only discuss a national defence strategy concerning its weapons once Israel withdraws and halts near-daily airstrikes, which have killed many of its members since the war. “The resistance will not hand over its weapons as the aggression continues and occupation remains,” he said, adding that the group is prepared for a prolonged battle if necessary.
The war has weakened Hezbollah, causing significant loss of life among its leadership, displacing over 1 million people in Lebanon, and inflicting reconstruction costs estimated at $11 billion by the World Bank.
