Jordan's King Abdullah: Gaza stands as painful example of disability challenge

King applauded for raising Middle East conflict at global summit on disability in Germany

Jordan's King Abdullah II, left, and Germany's departing Chancellor Olaf Scholz opened the disability summit in Berlin on Wednesday. AP

Jordan's King Abdullah II was cheered at a disability summit in Germany on Wednesday for giving the war in Gaza as a “painful example” of how conflict holds back the quest for equal rights.

King Abdullah addressed the war in the Middle East at the summit in Berlin devoted to helping the world's disabled people, which Jordan is co-hosting with Germany. He said worldwide responsibility to those affected was “especially important to those living in conflict zones”.

The risks faced by disabled people in war zones provide “one more reason why the work for peace, peace with justice, remains vital”, said King Abdullah, who has repeatedly used visits to Europe to call for peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict. “The situation in Gaza,” he said to applause from delegates, “is a painful example.”

“Today, Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, along with massive numbers of injured adults. Medical facilities have been destroyed and rethinking old ways is greatly needed. We ask you, the champions of disability rights, to join us in helping restore hope to Gazans and others in jeopardy worldwide.”

King Abdullah used the devastating impact of the war in Gaza as a 'painful example' of peace being necessary to help the disabled. AFP

Inclusion and exclusion

The Berlin summit is intended to boost efforts to help people with disabilities in poorer countries and will end with an Amman-Berlin Declaration vowing to make that cause a greater focus of aid programmes. A German minister told The National last week that Jordan had impressed its co-hosts with its work in the field.

Olaf Scholz, the outgoing German Chancellor, and Nawaf Kabbara, the Lebanese chairman of the International Disability Alliance, both warned of a growing backlash against inclusion efforts. US President Donald Trump has waged a war on so-called DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – programmes during his second term.

“Budgets are shrinking, anti-inclusion rhetoric is growing louder and once again the lives of persons with disabilities are at risk of being deprioritised,” Mr Kabbara said. “This is not just about participation or visibility. For millions of people with disabilities, inclusion is a matter of life and death.”

Jordan's King Abdullah, centre, with departing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, second right, and Nawaf Kabbara, right, of the International Disability Alliance, at the summit in Berlin. Reuters

Mr Scholz said diversity, participation and inclusion “are increasingly being called into question and even attacked in many countries … we are here to state very clearly that we will not let this happen”. He praised Jordan as a “true pioneer” in the region for including disabled people.

More than 80 Jordanian organisations from the public and private sectors have made pledges for the summit, King Abdullah said. He said the country has “much more work to do” to ensure disabled people in Jordan can travel easily, get good jobs and “find acceptance, respect and love”.