Queen Rania Al Abdullah has served as one of Jordan's most prominent figures since 1999, as the wife of King Abdullah II. As a neighboring country to Israel, Jordan has closely observed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

' Linsey Davis sat down with Jordan's queen on Tuesday to talk about the ongoing conflict, suffering in Gaza and what a path to peace in the region might look like.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly, touching on the Israel-Hamas conflict, a potential hostage exchange, and the possibility of a two-state solution. He stated:

“Working with Qatar and Egypt, I have proposed a ceasefire and hostage deal. This plan has been endorsed by the U.N. Security Council. Now is the time for both sides to finalize the terms, bring the hostages home, ensure Israel's safety, and liberate Gaza from Hamas' control. This will alleviate suffering in Gaza and bring an end to the war.

"Since October 7, our unwavering commitment has been to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire region. Unprovoked, Hezbollah joined the attack on October 7, launching rockets into Israel. Almost a year later, many on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanon border remain displaced.

"Full-scale war is in no one's best interest. Even as the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution remains possible. In fact, it's the only path to lasting security, allowing residents from both countries to return to their homes safely along the border. This is what we are working tirelessly to achieve.

"Looking ahead, we must also address the escalating violence against innocent Palestinians in the West Bank and create the conditions for a better future, including a two-state solution. In this scenario, Israel enjoys security, peace, full recognition, and normalized relations with all its neighbors, while Palestinians live in safety, dignity, and self-determination within their own state.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly on Friday.

In July, Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress, urging American leaders to provide stronger bipartisan support for Israel amidst its ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. He also criticized those who have spoken out against the war, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians.

During his speech, the prime minister referred to Hamas's terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, as "a day that will forever be etched in infamy," drawing parallels to the attacks on Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

Later in his address, Netanyahu quoted Winston Churchill's famous words, "give us the tools and we will finish the job," in his plea for continued American support for Israel.

"I, too, call upon America: Provide us with the resources swiftly, and we will complete the mission more quickly," Netanyahu stated. "Israel will fight until we neutralize Hamas's military capabilities and its presence in Gaza, and until we bring all our hostages back home. That is what total victory means. And we will accept nothing less."

In his remarks, Netanyahu emphasized that "Israel will always protect itself." At one point, he declared to the chamber: "Our adversaries are your adversaries. Our struggle is your struggle, and our success will be your success."

ABC NEWS: The world's leaders are gathered here in New York for the U.N. General Assembly. And front and center is the Israel-Hamas war, and concerns about a wider conflict in the region. We sat down with Jordan's Queen Rania Al Abdullah today, for a wide-ranging conversation about the war in Gaza, the prospects for peace and the role of the U.S. in it all.

Your Majesty, we thank you so much for talking with us and giving us this time today. Really appreciate it. We are now, as you know, just a few days away from marking one year since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. At least 41,000 Palestinians have died, thousands of them children. An estimated 100 hostages who still remain in Gaza at this point.

I know that you have said that the downtrodden and persecuted don't need a change of mindset, they need a change in circumstances. In your estimation, who or what can best bring about that change in circumstance?

QUEEN RANIA: First and foremost, thank you for having me here. This war has been unprecedented in its scope and brutality. Gaza, which is about one-third the size of New York City, has been subjected to more explosives than Dresden, Hamburg, and London combined during World War II. Consequently, we are witnessing the highest death tolls of any conflict in this century. A staggering 70% of those killed are women and children. Gaza is shattering records in all the worst ways.

We are experiencing the highest rates of starvation, the highest number of child amputees, the highest level of civilian and infrastructure destruction. In most schools and hospitals, two or three buildings have been destroyed, including every single university. In this war, there have been more deaths of children, journalists, aid workers, and medical personnel than in any other conflict. This is not a defensive war or a conventional type of war.

Every nation has the right to defend itself. However, what we are witnessing here is truly an indiscriminate killing spree. Despite our calls from Day One for an end to the killing of civilians, the response to the events of October 7th is unjustifiable. What we are seeing today is a violation of international law. We are setting a dangerous precedent for the world.

It often feels like the world operates with two different sets of rules. Israeli pain is acknowledged, while Palestinian suffering is normalized, even justified. It seems that Israel is exempt from the rules that govern the world, and Palestinians are denied universal human rights.

We've reached this point because the world has failed to act decisively. There hasn't been a global response to withdraw support from Israel, impose sanctions, or hold them accountable for the root cause of the conflict – the illegal occupation. When a country can operate with impunity, it becomes emboldened, as we see with Israel pushing further beyond legal and moral boundaries. Impunity doesn't correct itself; it thrives on complacency. And what we're witnessing goes far beyond complacency.

When a red line isn't enforced, it becomes a green light, a signal of permission. Palestinians are paying the heaviest price for this permission to disregard international norms. This sets a dangerous precedent for the world, establishing a new normal.

Are we saying that it's acceptable to use starvation as a weapon of war, target aid convoys, attack shelters housing civilians, and engage in collective punishment? What does this say about our world today? If we undermine the rule of law, how can we hold any other country accountable for its actions? If we criticize Russia's actions in Ukraine, why are we ignoring what's happening in Palestine, which is arguably worse?

ABC NEWS: You have said that the global community has dragged its feet and, as you well know, some of the most powerful people in the world are gathered here in New York this week for the U.N. General Assembly. What do you think is the appropriate response for these world leaders and specifically the role of the United States?

RANIA: As I mentioned, Israel seems to be escalating the conflict rather than de-escalating. While the war was in Gaza, we've seen an increase in violence and activities in the West Bank, where Hamas is not present. Months of killing raids, mass arrests, and violence by illegal armed settlers under the protection of the Israeli Army have led to the highest level of violence in the West Bank in the last two decades.

So, you know, and Israel is using the same tactics in the West Bank as it is in Gaza, you know, destroying infrastructure, cutting off access to electricity, food and water. And many are seeing in this approach just another step in Israel's decades long strategy of completely controlling the West Bank, of its expansionist settlement policy -- make life as difficult as possible for people in the West Bank, drive them out and then move into, into their homes and territory.

And now what we're seeing in Lebanon is another dangerous escalation. The, the risk of a regional conflict is now dangerously high. Yesterday was one of the deadliest days -- was the deadliest day -- where almost 500 Lebanese have been killed, in the past year, we saw 600 being killed.

And a back-and-forth cycle of violence between Hezbollah and Israel is not new in our region. And historically, they've kept the rules of engagement such that they kept the confrontation within a certain threshold to avoid an all-out war. Hezbollah, from Day One, as well as Iran, has made it clear they do not want to cross this threshold. And we saw in Iran's response when their diplomats were assassinated in Syria, they responded, and then they said that this was going to be it. Hezbollah made, said the same thing, that they will not, they do not want open war.

However, I believe Israel's motives are slightly different. They seem to be seeking escalation, potentially using Iran as a pretext. I am not a defender of Iran's policies or their plans in the region. However, the situation on Oct. 7 was not caused by Iran. This particular conflict is a consequence of an illegal occupation and oppression that has persisted for six decades. It's not solely about Iran.

However, Israel appears to be intensifying its actions. I believe one factor contributing to this is Bibi Netanyahu's political calculations due to his own circumstances. He may also be overcompensating for the security failure on Oct. 7. Therefore, he is attempting to appeal to the most extreme elements within his government. And frankly, he is doing this because he can.

ABC NEWS: Well, how concerned are you, based on Lebanon again, seeing its deadliest day since 2006, that this may lead to a wider war in the region and what can be done to prevent it specifically on behalf of the United States?

RANIA: Well, look, I am very concerned about what's happening. And I think today, we are closer to a regional war than we have been in the past year. And I think it is time for the global community to take action.

You know, specifically the U.S., I think the, you know, expressions of concern or even calls for a cease-fire really are meaningless when, when you continue to provide arms that kill civilians. You know, the answer is never more arms. That only needs more violence and more escalation. And America's support, the blanket support that's provided for Israel, has exceeded any reasonable political calculation.

You know, the U.S. has significant military, economic, and diplomatic influence over Israel, and should use it. Not just because it's the right thing to do, not just because we must uphold international law, but because this is one of the highest rates of casualties we've seen in a century.

The risks of further escalation are extremely high at present. And let me be clear, nobody benefits from such escalation. No one will teach anyone a lesson. It's time to end this bravado, chest-thumping, and bullying, like children on a playground claiming they will teach someone a lesson.

If Hezbollah or Israel were to achieve their military objectives, even if they eradicated every Hamas and Hezbollah fighter, how long would that guarantee Israel's safety? As long as the illegal and oppressive occupation continues, and as long as people are denied their fundamental human rights and freedoms, resistance will inevitably persist.

And in this day and age, with modern technology, AI, and communication tools, it won't take long for people to regroup and resist again. And the only way to avoid this, to truly bring security to the region, to the people of Israel, to Jewish people worldwide -- who are unfairly held accountable for this government's actions -- is through a just and comprehensive peace agreement that addresses and ensures rights for both sides.

ABC NEWS: How much culpability do you think that Hamas has with regard to what's happening in Gaza right now?

RANIA: Well, Oct. 7 was carried out by Hamas. And, but the, but the people who are bearing the brunt of the consequences are innocent civilians. Like I said, you know, the 41,000 who have been killed, the vast majority of them are women and children.

ABC NEWS: But there are people who will say that's because Hamas is hiding out in hospitals and schools and shelters.

RANIA: Right. Well, first of all, you know, the, the, the human shield argument. I think the numbers speak for themselves. The, the death toll, which is drastically disproportionate. It simply cannot be explained or justified. And as you know, Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. So wherever Hamas is present, by default, there will be civilians there. And even if you, even if you know that an operative is present, if there is a, if you're sure that there will be civilians there, then it's illegal to target those locations.

When we discuss human shields, it's essential to recognize that using civilians as shields is a common practice by the Israelis. This pattern has been observed repeatedly. During their raids, they often take Palestinian civilians as hostages. I've witnessed firsthand instances where Palestinians were shot, strapped to car hoods, and driven through Palestinian cities. These actions are happening constantly. Yet, there's rarely any discussion about the human shields employed in these situations.

It's crucial to acknowledge the root causes of this conflict. This situation didn't begin on October 7th. It's disheartening that I have to keep reminding people of this. This isn't solely about Hamas' actions on October 7th. Even if Hamas ceased to exist tomorrow, this conflict would persist. This conflict predates Hamas and will likely outlast it.

ABC NEWS: And so what is the way forward? Obviously, you support a two-state solution, but in the meantime, what happens to the Palestinian people? What do they do? I mean, even if the cease-fire were over today, they're living in cities that need to be rebuilt entirely.

RANIA: I believe the most crucial step now is to achieve an immediate cease-fire. The reason we haven't reached this point is that the Israeli Prime Minister seems to be delaying the process. Every time both sides are close to an agreement, he introduces new conditions or obstacles at the last minute.

So we need to stop the fighting immediately, which will de-escalate the situation in Lebanon, and every other front. Then, the world community really needs to address the root cause of this issue. In the past, peace talks have failed because we used the same approach. There were never any consequences or penalties imposed to discourage the occupation. So Israel felt empowered to build more settlements, to claim more land. There was never any effort to uphold international law.

So I believe that if we need to approach the peace process, we need to have a set of guidelines or principles that we can all agree upon. And these can be the starting point. Otherwise, peace will remain elusive, only to end in another deadly stalemate.

So, for instance, the starting point should be upholding international law without exceptions. There can be negotiations and compromises, as is the case with any peace agreement. But the starting point, the foundation that needs to be established, should be international law.

Secondly, human rights are fundamental and universal. They are not subject to negotiation or earned. Both Palestinians and Israelis have the right to peace, security, and self-determination, regardless of which side is more powerful.

Third, security is not a zero-sum game. For a long time, Israelis have sought to protect their own security by denying Palestinians the same. Neither side's lack of security helps the other. It only perpetuates the cycle of retaliation and repression. The only way to escape this is for both sides to have peace.

For true accountability, there can be no justice without consequences. When a nation makes mistakes, it must be held responsible, not given special treatment.

Finally, we cannot be held captive to the voices on the fringe, those who celebrate suffering and displacement, who advocate for collective punishment, who defend the indefensible, and who justify the unjustifiable. We cannot be swayed by these forces.

If we can agree on those five fundamental principles as a starting point, then we can achieve a just and lasting peace in our region. It is crucial to understand that security measures, more warfare, and more weapons are not the solution. The international community must step forward and make a decision: either we demonstrate that the rule of law prevails over politics and power, or we must acknowledge that in the so-called rules-based world order, the rules only apply to the weak. This is a critical choice for the international community to make.

ABC NEWS: I have so many more questions, but unfortunately, we are out of time. I thank you so much for taking the time to talk.

RANIA: Thank you so much, it was a pleasure. Thank you.